MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Potholes can be scary for any driver and their vehicles. Potholes are a problem all year long and the Ingham County Road Department stays busy patching holes.

Which pothole are patched first all depends on the size of the hole and how much of a hazard they can be for drivers.

The Road Department patches potholes every day during the week. According to Ingham County Road Department Managing Director, Bill Conklin, he says the primary roads are first priority since they carry the highest traffic and speed zones and the local roads are tended to following with neighborhoods.

If a driver encounters a pothole while out driving, then they should take safety precautions to avoid damage. Paying attention to the road and going slow over a pothole are a few options. Drivers should never swerve or slam on their breaks when trying to avoid a pothole this could do more harm than good by causing a crash.

If possible it's best for a driver to slow down and change lanes when nearing a pothole. Drivers should also report any potholes they see to the Ingham County Road Department.

The Road Department has a 24-hour answering service that is available for drivers to call at any time to report a dangerous hole. The Road Department will then get it patched as soon as possible dependent upon the wholes size and location.

A key thing to remember is that pothole patching is not a permanent fix. Instead, a pothole patch is similar to a band-aid and is only a temporary solution until the Road Department can actually go in and repair the road.