But that’s only if the incident happened on a road maintained by the state, and if the driver can prove UDOT was negligent and didn’t patch the road in a timely manner.
Click here for a map of state UDOT-maintained roads.
As for the other condition, UDOT says most drivers aren’t able to prove negligence. Still, it invites drivers to fill out an online claim form if they believe they qualify.
For UDOT to be proven negligent, first it needs to be made aware of the pothole. Drivers can report the holes to UDOT by submitting hazards online or through the Click ’n Fix app.
But UDOT Region 2 spokesperson Kylar Sharp says there’s not a concrete timeline for each required road repair.
“When our crews get notified about a pothole, they do the very best they can to make sure that crews get out there and try to fix them as soon as possible,” Sharp said. “If you think about in the winter months, we get more potholes because of the ice that gets in there from the snowpack and expands.”
So some potholes are simply patched until the summer, when crews can make permanent repairs. Others are maintained ahead of large projects like road replacements.
Local drivers have already experienced pothole pitfalls this season including a serious incident Tuesday, Feb. 20.
A car headed east past Jeremy Ranch on Interstate 80 hit a pothole and flipped over the median into the westbound lanes. According to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden, speed may have played a role.
Roden says no one was seriously injured.
