New Jersey's 'Pothole Patrol' is out in full force

CAMDEN, N.J. (WPVI) -- If you take a drive through Camden, New Jersey, there's a good chance you'll hit a pothole.

"You come out of one, then you fall into another one," said Camden resident Melissa Figueroa. She was near Mt. Vernon Street when she hit a massive pothole.

"I just had a blowout about a week ago," she said. "It broke my upper and lower arm control."

Starting Monday, The New Jersey Department of Transportation began a campaign to repair potholes throughout the Garden State.

Approximately 153,000 potholes are filled in New Jersey every year.

The state's "Pothole Patrol" is prioritizing high-traffic areas and roads with severe damage.

At Fanelle's Auto Repair and Towing in Collingswood, the garage is filled with cars that were damaged after hitting a pothole.

"You get flat tires, suspension components that break which then ties into body damage and other things," said Nick Slimm, a tow truck driver with Fanelle's.

Potholes form when water freezes, expands and pushes up the pavement.

As temperatures rise, precipitation melts and seeps into the ground.

The weakened pavement cracks and collapses, forming potholes.

With a more active winter this season, crews in New Jersey expect to fix more potholes this year than last year.

The state is encouraging drivers to call 511 to report trouble spots so they can be added to a list for repairs.