One in five drivers has suffered from damage to their car as result of driving over a speed hump according to a poll of 2000 drivers.
Price comparison website, confused.com, found that 22 per cent had damaged their car, with the average cost of repair coming in at £141 per vehicle.
Tyre damage is the chief concern for those experiencing damage, with broken or damaged suspension also a major issue. The survey revealed that more than a quarter of drivers would want speed humps to be more visible through markings, while one in four claim that they are not an effective deterrent for speeding drivers.
“Claiming for damage to your car caused by speed humps is confusing for drivers,” said Confused.com’s Amanda Stretton. “Unlike potholes, which are defects in the road, speed humps have been installed for safety.
“While speed humps are clearly not very popular among motorists, they are there for a reason. And we urge drivers to approach them carefully and slowly in order to minimise any damage.
‘‘Motorists who think they have damaged their car while driving at a reasonable speed should check the height, if and when it is safe to do so, to see if they would be eligible for compensation.”
While the actual cost of repairs to British drivers is unknown, a freedom of information request from Confused.com revealed that councils have forked out just £35,000 in compensation claims between 2015 and 2017, further underlining the difficulty in claiming compensation.