We might prefer mild winter days, but our cars hate them: It is about this time of year that potholes emerge, inflicting punishment on our vehicles’ tires, wheels, suspension components and steering mechanisms.

Below-freezing days, followed by a thaw and then more cold, create ideal conditions for potholes. Water seeps down into the pavement and expands when it freezes, creating and expanding cracks in the pavement.

In fact, the State Advisory Panel for Transportation Policy for 2025 reported in 2005 that New Yorkers spend on average more than $218 every year to repair vehicle damage caused by bad roads. The Road Information Program (TRIP) reports that by 2010, pavement conditions on 77 percent of New York’s highways will deteriorate to “fair” or “poor,” meaning that we will have an above-average chance of hitting a pothole.

The worst damage isn’t caused by a tire’s initial drop into a pothole but by its contact with the far edge of the hole. This can severely pinch the tire and dent the wheel. Popular low-profile tires, with their shorter sidewalls, provide even less protection for expensive wheels.

You can avoid pothole damage by keeping your tires properly inflated to provide a greater “cushion” for wheels in case of pothole contact. Also, don’t tailgate. By staying back, you’ll have a better chance of seeing and reacting to these potholes. Avoid driving over puddles, which can mask craters. And don’t use your brakes as you hit a pothole, as this might worsen the damage to your car. Let the vehicle slowly roll through the pothole instead. Have a professional mechanic check your vehicles’ alignment and tire balance if your car starts pulling to one side.

You can find more tips from the Rubber Manufacturers Association and download its “Be Tire Smart” brochure at www.rma.org.