Pothole got your tire? The state may pay for that

SPRINGFIELD (Heartland Newsfeed) — Temperature swings often result in the creation of potholes that can be mistaken for tunnels, and damage from hitting one of them could cost you hundreds of dollars. However, drivers may be able to get some of that money back from the State of Illinois. The Illinois Department of Transportation handles claims for pothole-related vehicle damage on state highways, but spokeswoman Gianna Urgo warned that not all claims will be eligible for payouts. “The department evaluates each claim based upon strict negligence and liability standards established by the Illinois Court of Claims,” she said. IDOT does not currently have immediate data on the number of total payouts for the claims, but nationwide, potholes caused over $3 billion in damage in 2016 alone, according to a study from the American Automobile Association (AAA).   “The average pothole repair costs $300,” AAA spokeswoman Beth Moser said. “That’s significant when so many drivers don’t have the funds to make these repairs.” Other claims could be filed with a local government responsible for maintenance of that roadway. While some potholes are unavoidable, Urgo says the best policy is to avoid them. Go to idot.illinois.gov to find the local office where you would submit a pothole report and file a claim.