Road safety guide
How does a pothole form?
A pothole forms when water weakens the layers under a road and traffic then breaks the weakened surface apart. It usually starts as a small crack and can become a dangerous hole within weeks, especially during heavy rain.
The four stages
1. Water gets into the road
Small cracks appear in the asphalt surface from age, sunlight and traffic. Rainwater seeps through them into the layers underneath.
2. The base underneath weakens
Trapped water softens the soil and gravel base that supports the road and can wash fine material away, leaving gaps under the surface.
3. Freezing makes it worse (in cold climates)
Where temperatures drop below zero, water in the cracks freezes and expands, pushing the cracks wider. When it thaws, more water gets in.
4. Traffic breaks the surface
Vehicles keep pressing on the weakened spot. The unsupported asphalt bends, cracks into pieces and is thrown out, leaving a hole that grows quickly.
Why potholes appear so fast in the monsoon
In much of India, freezing is rare — the main cause is water. Long spells of heavy rain keep the road base soaked, standing water hides small cracks, and poor drainage lets water sit on the surface. Combined with heavy vehicles, this is why many potholes appear during and right after the monsoon.
Early warning signs
- Spider-web or “alligator” cracking on the surface
- Dips or sinking patches where water collects after rain
- Loose gravel or broken edges around a crack
Fixing a crack early is far cheaper than repairing a full pothole — which is why reporting damage quickly matters.
Spotted one? Report it in under a minute
Upload a photo to DriveSafe Vision. It detects the potholes, rates the severity, records the location and sends the complaint to the admin responsible for that area — and you can track it until it is fixed.
Report a pothole