by Shannon Royster
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - If you've been out driving much lately, chances are you've run over more than your fair share of potholes. But did you know some insurance companies make you pay up if you hit one?
Ron Garrison says he was driving along a stretch of highway at the I-65/I-24 corridor near Trinity Lane when he hit a pothole that he couldn't avoid. When it was time to repair the damage, he says his insurance company told him it was a preventable accident.
"If I had swerved to the left, I would have hit the barricades," said Garrison. "There's construction up there and if I would've swerved to the right, I would have hit 20 cars."
Garrison said his insurance company did provide a rental car and they will cover the costs after his deductible, but because he didn't avoid that pothole, his premium will be higher for the next 3 years.
We talked to TDOT officials about the pothole problem, the agency says it works hard everyday to get the holes patched up. "Potholes are one of those things where it's an ongoing thing for TDOT, " said Deanna Lambert, spokesperson for TDOT. "We have so many roads to maintain everyday and we only have so many crews. So, we certainly need help finding the potholes out there."
You can help TDOT out. If you see a pothole out there on the roads, you can call the agency at (615) 350-4300.
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