Are the roads leaving you broke? (6 photos)

This is your vehicle on bad roads.

It's a broken coil spring from the front end of a car and it's in the capable hands of Great Lakes Honda Shop Foreman and Auto Techniciam Art House.

"It could have gone through a wheel while they were driving," he said.

That's why the CAA Worst Roads Campaign is back on Ontario streets and highways for the nineth time. 

Representatives of CAA were at Great Lakes Honda this morning to bring awareness of what can go wrong when driving on bad roads and to encourage people to submit or vote for the worst roads in Ontario.

And the votes do more than enter the contest, too, says CAA Government and Community Relations John Ennis.

"We compile all the information we get and bring it to the appropriate municipalities involved," he said.

But municipalities often don't have the money to fix all the roads that need fixing so CAA is going all the way to the Government of Ontario.

"We are lobbying the government to set aside a fund specifically for road repairs," said Ennis. 

That coil spring in House's hands didn't do much more than break, but it could have done some very serious damage.

Imagine travelling down the highway at 90 km/h and having your front wheel impaled by one of those.

It wouldn't be pretty and it wouldn't be easy to keep the vehicle on the road long enough to safely exit traffic and come to a stop on the side of the road.

In House's 39 years under hoods he's seen a lot of damage to vehicles caused by bad roads.

He's one of Honda Canada's top automotive technicians and he knows that there is only so much drivers can do to minimize damage from potholes and broken pavement.

"Drive slower on roads you know are bad," he says. "If you happen to hit a bad one at a higher speed listen to your vehicle and be aware of how it is steering. If there's any rubbing or grinding noises, or if there is any play in the steering get to your garage immediately."

Front end failures, the most common that result from driving on bad roads, can be quite catastrophic and cause loss of life, not just loss of time and money to fix them.

The full text of the CAA release on the Worst Roads Campaign follows.

*****************************
CAA launches Worst Roads Campaign

SAULT STE. MARIE - You are driving along, minding your own business when all of a sudden, you hit a pothole.

Before you know it you are hit in the pocketbook with hefty repair costs to your vehicle.

Damage caused by crumbling pavement or traffic congestion can mean repair bills ranging from $60 - $3,000.

Today, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) launched the 9th Worst Roads campaign.

"We want to know the worst road you have driven on in Ontario. Whether the issue is congestion, potholes, road signs, traffic lights or pedestrian and cycling safety, we want to hear from you," said John Ennis, government relations specialist, CAA SCO. "Your votes make a difference."

"Over the years, CAA's Worst Roads campaign has been successful in creating awareness about the importance of our infrastructure to the Ontario economy, public safety and our quality of life," said Rob Bradford, executive director, Ontario Road Builders' Association. "When the public speaks, governments listen and the Worst Roads campaign provides a way for the public to make its concerns known about our growing infrastructure debt."

You can cast your ballot for the worst road in Ontario at www.worstroads.ca until April 24.

You can nominate as many different roads as you like, but you can't vote for the same road twice.

Meanwhile, due to the tremendous success of the initiative here in Ontario, the Worst Roads campaign is also being rolled out in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

*****************************