Roads need to be repaired due to damage caused by traffic loading, climate influences, material quality problems, drainage deficiencies, construction failures, and external causes such as utility cuts. Moreover, road repair and maintenance are essential to ensure the safety of motorists.
With repaired roads, hazards to drivers and possible chances of road accidents are reduced tremendously and vehicles remain in good condition.
The Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation determined that road problems such as slick roads, potholes, and iced-over stretches of highways cause more than 42,000 deaths annually.
Whether you are a motorist or a pedestrian, you are prone to be affected by bad road conditions.
This article will help make more ground for you to understand all the facts of this matter. Here, we will explore why road repair is vital for our day-to-day travel.
Ready? Steady? Let’s go…
source: LeafySpace
Roads in good condition ensure safety
Roads constantly being maintained are safer and ensure smooth travels for drivers, passengers, and goods being transported. Road repair is also essential to prevent accidents and damage to vehicles. Overall safety is achieved when roads are repaired.
Accuweather reports that damages from cracks and potholes on vehicles can be financially daunting. These include deflating tires, driving instability, and fluid leaks, which signify a wrecked undercarriage.
Sealing cracks and patching up potholes can prevent way more than running financial risks. Major reports on fatal head-on-collision crashes can be nipped in the bud when road repairs are taken seriously.
Proper road markings are also helpful for drivers to stay in their lane and maintain traffic control on highways. Bad roads typically would have faded markings.
Without the proper road demarcations, a newer driver may suffer a lack of guidance and be a threat to road safety.
That is why it is crucial to repair roads by repainting the faded road marks for maximum safety.
Better roads also allow better braking distances to prevent the event of an accident. Braking distance is the distance a vehicle travels while slowing to a complete stop.
The braking distance is caused by two significant variables, the road standard, and the car tires’ quality, which determines the friction that maintains driving stability.
Back to the pacific institute of research and evaluation study, more discovery shows that bad roads were among the top leading cause of accidents worldwide.
Good road conditions and high-quality tires equal a faster vehicle braking response which ultimately may save your life.
Good roads reduce travel expenses
Source: TravelPerk
Bad roads have cost car owners billions in car wreckage, fuel, and operating expenses. In addition to this, travel taxes are at an all-time high. However, when roads are repaired, traveling costs are usually modest.
According to a 2021 report from ASCE, 43% of roads in America are in poor condition. Motorists pay over $1000 per year in fuel, and the number of car miles traveled on bad roads is up 17% from 15% in the previous decade.
This confirms that repaired roads are vital for reducing travel costs.
Good roads allow you the pleasure of cruising smoothly without the worry of having any inflicted damage on your vehicle.
Roads in good condition have also been found to lower fuel consumption. A study done by MIT researchers tested out the friction of a rubber tire against a road surface.
A vicious circle starts where due to the weight of the vehicles, bad road surfaces cannot sustain the weight and, with time, worsen the condition. This, in engineering terms, is known as deflection.
They concluded from their findings that cars and trucks would then require more energy on weaker road surfaces. This results in more fuel consumption than the average amount.
Lastly, on travel expenses, Good roads will prevent cases of vehicle damage as mentioned earlier, which is tire deflation, broken undercarriage, wear and tear of parts, etcetera.
Not only do bad roads affect your driving, but they can cost you a lot of money for repair. Suitable road surfaces would eventually save your pockets from taking a hit.
Good roads promote urban and rural development
A core road network is vital for urban and rural development because it facilitates mobility and commerce.
Roads are the main link for products to arrive at the marketplace, workers to travel to their jobs, sick people to reach hospitals, and learners to schools.
Approximately a billion people globally have limited access to good road infrastructure. These numbers are higher for those in rural areas with a scarcity of amenities such as schools, hospitals, and workplaces.
The occurrence of bad roads in rural areas limits access to these significant amenities that are already short in supply. Resulting in unsettling negative impacts such as deaths, illiteracy, and unemployment contributed by these poorly structured roads.
According to data from World Highways, many countries have more than 50% of their population in rural areas.
Therefore, roads must be in good shape to effectively carry out these daily activities essential for successful rural development.
Urban areas are similarly affected by road damages that are not promptly fixed or improved, ultimately affecting employment, trade, and education.
Through this discovery, it is sure to say that the state of a country’s urban and rural roads determines whether it is progressing or regressing in its developments.
Good roads promote tourism
Good roads pave the way for inter-city travel. If you are thinking of touring your country or any country, road transport would have to be your mode of choice for leisure travels without bounds. Because of this, good roads will ease traveling and boost tourism in an area.
Good road conditions promote tourism by helping connect people to various tourist destinations without the hassle of travel or the fear of safety on the road.
The new silk road initiative adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 aims to connect over 70 countries from all the continents to improve the road infrastructure, aiding inter-regional connectivity for tourism and trade development.
Countries coming together for this cause supports the claim that good road infrastructure is essential for a thriving tourism sector.
Repaired and maintained roads last longer
Roads tend to lose their smoothness and wear out. For this reason, road repair with durable materials is needed to help roads become much smoother and enhance their strength over time.
Apart from most of the damages being influenced by traffic, the road pavement is also influenced by environmental factors that include water, acid rains, frost, and temperature.
Constant repair is then needed to combat further damage to sustain the durability and quality of the road.
The most common material used for effective repair is asphalt concrete, a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or a semi-liquid form of petroleum.
Asphalt concrete is one of the most commonly sought-after materials for road construction and road surfaces, ensuring ten years of durability, with repairs required only once every five years.
Repaired roads look good
A damaged road isn’t pleasing to the eye. Deterioration of roads can make an area look neglected and underdeveloped. On the other hand, a good-looking road is considered a highway to success as it brings many benefits.
A certain level of trust comes with a good-looking road; it looks safe, and you are assured that your vehicle is on safe grounds.
Every good road is carefully designed so that calamities such as natural disasters cannot bring destruction to the road.
Some countries, such as the UAE, place strict laws to ensure the roads maintain their commendable look. In the event of road damages, the authorities take immediate action to repair them.
A good condition road improves the general aesthetic making it a more delightful experience for motorists to drive around towns.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, bad roads need repair for some key reasons:
- To keep roads safer for motorists for accident prevention.
- It is cost-effective for road transportation.
- It contributes to a country’s urban and rural development.
- Roads remain durable over time when constantly repaired.
- Streets look better when repaired and maintained.
When road repair and maintenance expectations are met, it makes a world suitable for our day-to-day road life.
Speaking of road life…
Are you looking to hit the road on a long weekend drive? Click here to find some tips on how to get ready for your long road trip ahead!
