Potholes often seem like a fact of life. All of us work hard to avoid them when we’re driving, and while seeing them on roads is fairly common, you don’t want your commercial parking lot to be known for its hazardous holes. Fixing the potholes in your parking area is imperative, and not just because they’re ugly to look at. They’re also dangerous.
Here are three things to know about potholes and why repairing them as quickly as possible is so important.
1. Potholes Are a Liability
Driving over a pothole is bad enough, but if you have pedestrians walking through the parking lot of your commercial space, they pose a trip and fall hazard. Pedestrians aren’t always paying attention. They’re looking at their phones, putting away their car keys, or focused on getting into your building. They might not see the giant pothole between them and the door.
This is a problem for the tenants of your building, as well as their customers and guests. They can be problematic for vendors, employees, and the general public. A fall from a pothole can lead to ankle sprains and broken bones.
That’s a lot of liability. If someone falls, you can almost certainly expect a lawsuit.
Make sure your insurance is up to date, and fix the potholes as soon as they’re reported or noticed. Fixing the problem is far more cost-effective than working through a legal battle.
2. Potholes Destroy Your Curb Appeal
Safety first, of course, but the sad fact is this: potholes are ugly. They’re going to take away from any lovely landscaping or sharp building design that you’ve invested in to boost your curb appeal.
The parking lot is really your front door. It’s the first impression people get of your commercial space. If there are potholes in that parking lot, you’re drawing attention away from all your great efforts at aesthetically pleasing curb appeal. You’re sending a message that you don’t really care about safety or the vehicles of your visitors. Don’t send that message.
3. Potholes Are Not Only Nuisances: They Cause Property Damage
Causing property damage is certainly bad for business.
Potholes can damage cars, including those vehicles belonging to your tenants and their customers. New cars, old cars, small cars, SUVs – it doesn’t matter. Rolling over a pothole can be devastating to a vehicle. There may be damage to tires, shocks, alignment, and suspension. People notice right away when they’ve had a bad experience with a pothole. Their car will usually become bumpy, unsteady, and simply not right.
Potholes hurt your business. People will avoid your parking lot and eventually, your reputation will suffer.
Always invest in repairing potholes. Not only is it a good maintenance policy, it’s also cost-effective. A pothole may indicate there’s a bigger problem with water damage or land formation. Ignoring the pothole will cost you a lot more money in the long run.
If you’re not sure how to monitor your potholes or what’s required to fix them, contact us at Preston-Lee Management Company. We’ve been providing property management services in Victorville and the High Desert for more than 20 years.
