Have you ever thought about the impact of driving on Louisiana’s roads on your CAR? Potholes don’t only make for an uncomfortable ride—they can take an expensive toll on your vehicle. Poor roads can cause tire damage, shock absorption failure, suspension issues, misalignment, and so much more. In the worst cases, they can generate scary—and even deadly—accidents. But at the very least, these problems can be expensive to fix. Instead of having to fix our cars and trucks constantly, let’s fix Louisiana’s roads and bridges to prevent future issues!
What Bad Roads Do To Your Car
Always driving on a rough road day after day threatens your nerves—and your vehicle. Hitting a pothole can pop a tire or break an axle. (That’s if your car doesn’t get completely stuck!) Overuse from excessive wear and tear can result in shock absorption failure. This abuse can also suspend your tires, making your stopping and braking less effective. In addition to that, potholes could trigger your alignment to be off, making your car veer to one side. All of these issues could lead to higher vehicle operating costs, as well as risked lives.
This additional cost incurred to cars and trucks is referred to as vehicle operating costs (VOC). According to our most recent Louisiana Road and Bridge Report, our road conditions cost the average Louisiana motorist as much as $706 annually PER YEAR. When you factor in congestion-related delays and traffic crashes to the additional VOC, the costs can rise as high as $2,400. Considering how these costs add up year after year, how can we afford NOT to #FixLARoads?
How To Show Your Car Some Love This Valentine’s Day
This Valentine’s Day, show your car some love. Small things—such as regular maintenance, keeping up with oil changes, and giving it a little shine—can go a long way! A quick interior vacuum can or slapping on a new set of tires can make it feel like a whole new ride. However, all of these ideas are only temporary fixes. Louisiana’s terrible roads are going to create the damage and headaches all over again. For REAL rectification, we need to finally address the crumbling, dangerous roads that are costing us our time, money, and safety. Take action with the Louisiana Coalition to Fix Our Roads.

#FixLARoads—For You AND For Your Car!
The only way to get real, lasting change is to start at the top. Our lawmakers need to prioritize this issue. Use our online form to take action easily. We’ve pre-filled it with information, but you can always put in your own experiences with the state’s crumbling roads and bridges. Additionally, you can take the issue to social media. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to engage in the conversation. We use the #FixLARoads hashtag to help tell and spread our story.
You can also contact your lawmakers directly. Visit the websites for the Louisiana House of Representatives and the Louisiana State Senate to find YOUR representatives and senators. Then, you can email and call them directly to really drive the message home. Tag your social media posts with #LaLege and #LaGov. Encourage them to call a special session to fix this crisis. Your car will thank you.