A driving instructor has urged motorists whose cars have been damaged by potholes to seek compensation from their local authorities, as one county council revealed it has paid out almost €60,000 in claims in the last three years.
Andy McGuinniety received almost €100 from Meath County Council after his tyre was destroyed when he struck a pothole near Navan while bringing a student on a driving lesson last month.
Now the instructor is highlighting the recourse system for many drivers who may be able to claim for damage from potholes – once a previous attempt has been made by the council to repair the road.
The native Glaswegian who lives in Slane has been running the successful iDrive Ireland School of Motoring for over 12 years and says roads have seriously deteriorated around the county in the last year.
"I was bringing a student for a driving lesson around Dean Hill and it was a really sunny day so you couldn't see too far ahead with the glare of the sun. There was also an oncoming car so we couldn't avoid the pothole which we didn't see anyway because of the sun," he said.
"The pothole was directly on the wheel line and the tyre blew straight away, it was so deep. It was also the student's first driving lesson but thankfully, she took it in her stride and no-one was injured which was the main thing.
"I got out and changed the tyre and then I took a load of photographs of the pothole and the car, the direction we were travelling and the tyre. I noticed some tar around the pothole which meant the council had tried to repair it.
"I rang Meath County Council and they gave me a number for the Irish Public Body Insurance and I called them. By the time I got off the phone, I had a link to upload photographs and give every detail possible.
"Within a month, the money was in the bank with a payment 'without prejudice'. My tyre cost €110 and I got €93.50 back after they deducted wear and tear which is fair enough.
"I think it is that if the council don't know about the pothole, then it's not their responsibility but if they have tried to repair it previously, then you can claim. Being a driving instructor, I'm on the roads around Meath a lot and if I see a pothole, I try to report it to the council via Twitter and I would encourage all motorists to do the same.
"There are a lot of potholes around the place and a lot of tyres getting punctured or destroyed and other damage to cars too. If it happens to you, take loads of pictures and ring the Irish Public Body Insurance to see what they say. They can only say no."
Meath County Council paid out a total of €59,598 to 250 claims in the years from 2020 to 2022.
The council said that in 2020 they settled 80 claims of damage to cars from motor damage, amounting to €16,938. In 2021, that figure rose to €24,607 for 105 claims, and last year 65 claims amounted to a payment of €18,053.
A statement from Meath County Council said: "Whilst every effort is made by the Council to repair and maintain roads within the funds allocated for this purpose, the defence of nonfeasance is available in response to an allegation and if successful the Council is not held responsible for damage resulting from normal wear and tear of the road if no intervention or negligent act was carried out by the Council."
