No one wants to see potholes out on the road. Unfortunately, they are a pretty common sight these days in Michigan.
This is because the weather conditions in the state this winter have been particularly conducive to the development of potholes. This is expected to continue to be the case in the near future, so sadly, potholes may become even more common in the state not too far around the corner.
Potholes can create traffic safety problems. Under certain circumstances, potholes could cause significant damage to a vehicle. Also, there are situations in which potholes could cause a driver to temporarily lose control of their car, opening the door for major collisions to occur.
So avoiding hitting potholes, when possible, can be important for drivers. Among the things that can help with avoiding hitting potholes is spotting them early and having sufficient time to properly (and safely) react upon detecting them. Both of these things can be much less likely at higher speeds, which is among the reasons why being very careful about one's driving speed can be crucial when driving in pothole-heavy times of the year (particularly when other difficult driving conditions, like snowy weather, are also present).
As this discussion underscores, the speed limit in the area they are driving is not the only important thing for a person to pay attention to when deciding what speed to drive at; it is also important for them to take into account things that could impact driving conditions, like the condition of the road. Major accidents can happen when drivers go too fast for conditions. When a driver acts improperly regarding their vehicle's speed and hurts others, those harmed may have legal actions they can take in response.
Source: Fox17, "MDOT: Drivers ’slow down’ to avoid potholes this winter," Lauren Edwards, March 1, 2016