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It's Pothole Season in New York

New York, NY (March 12, 2013)

As the snow melts and signs of spring are in the air, potholes are making their presence known on New York City streets and highways. An encounter with one can leave damaged tires, wheels and suspension components in its wake. State Farm estimates the average damage can put a big dent in drivers' pocketbooks - costing anywhere from $300 to $700.

Potholes, also called chuckholes and road craters, occur all year round, but they're more prominent in early spring as thawing cycles allow moisture to seep into the road surface, which causes the road to crumble.

There's not much that can prevent the deterioration of roads, but here are five things drivers can do to protect themselves and their wallets:

• Try to limit travel to roads you know very well. That knowledge could keep you from hitting a pothole and seriously damaging your car.
• When driving at night, travel on well-lit roads so you can see the surface.
• Slow down. Give yourself a chance to see the pothole and avoid it before you're in it.
• If you hit a pothole, carefully inspect your tires and wheels for possible damage. Note how your car handles in the aftermath. If it "pulls" in a particular direction or you feel a wobble in the steering, have a mechanic check it out.
• If you can't avoid a pothole, do your braking before impact. There's less damage to a tire when it's rolling than when it is skidding over a pothole during braking.

Potholes can create bigger issues for motorcycles, which are less stable than cars and provide less protection than cars in a crash. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration recommends riders go around such hazards. To do so safely, riders must be able to spot a pothole from a distance, so slow down before reaching the obstacle and make sure you have room if you need to swerve.

Contact

Rachael Risinger

Public Affairs Specialist – Media Relations

New York City

Office: (309) 735-7745

Cell: (309) 735-7745

Rachael.Risinger.tqil@statefarm.com

Twitter: @SF_RachaelR

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About State Farm^®

State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.