Road Potholes Have No Simple Way to Reach the Authorities Who Should Repair Them
Last updated
Potholes are common on many roads and make travel painful and risky, especially for pregnant women and older people. Commuters and drivers have no simple, trusted way to report them and see them fixed.
Situation
Potholes are a common sight on roads in many places. They make every journey uncomfortable and can be especially hard on pregnant women travelling in a cab and on older people.
There appears to be no simple, trusted way for ordinary people to report a pothole and then see that it has been noticed and repaired. Concern about the quality of road work adds to the frustration.
Who is affected
Drivers, two-wheeler riders, cab passengers, pregnant women, older people, and daily commuters.
How often
Described as common across many countries. This has not been measured.
Root cause
People have no visible reporting route and see little accountability for poor road work. Existing reporting tools should be reviewed.
Current workaround
People slow down, avoid certain roads, or complain locally.
Opportunity for improvement
This friction creates opportunities for easy ways to report a pothole by location, to see whether it has been seen and repaired, and to make road work more open to the public.
Friction Journal observation
A road problem that everyone can see but no one can easily report stays on the road.
About this record
Status: Initial observation. Based on lived experience, not a verified study. This record may be updated as evidence is checked.
Impact: Medium. Repeated frustration or wasted time, or serious harm that is possible but not likely.
- Sources consulted
- Personal observation of road conditions.
- Last updated
- Cite this record
- Friction Journal. “Road Potholes Have No Simple Way to Reach the Authorities Who Should Repair Them.” FJ-000090. Last updated 21 October 2026. https://frictionjournal.com/frictions/fj-000090/