We hope you enjoyed those spring-like temperatures we just had, because it’s time to pay for them.

How, you ask, as you drive into a massive pothole?

Well, that’s how.

The weather is perfect – just perfect – for a barrage of new, nasty potholes.

A major swing from sub-zero temps to the high 60s? Check.

Moisture from rain or snow that can seep into cracks in the roads, freeze, thaw and freeze again? Check.

“Everyone here looked at the forecast this week, and they said, ‘Wow, this is going to be awful for our pavements,’” said Matt Bruning, Ohio Department of Transportation spokesman.

Already this winter, ODOT crews have used 2,770 tons of asphalt to repair potholes. That’s compared to 2,195 tons during the same time frame in 2018.

“When we’re not plowing, we’re patching,” Bruning said. “We know (potholes are) out there. We’re working hard to address them as quickly as we can.”

Potholes:The city could pay for damage to your car. But it probably won’t.

Bruning urged drivers to report potholes, either on ODOT’s website, via social media or by calling a local garage.

Be as precise as possible, he said.

And, be sure to drive carefully and watch out for workers who are fixing the roads.

“It’s a dangerous job,” Bruning said, “and we’d really like for all our people to go home safe at the end of the day.”

Did you know:

If you hit a pothole and it damages your vehicle, there’s a chance you could get reimbursed?

For state-maintained roads, that process is handled through the Ohio Court of Claims.

In Cincinnati, drivers can submit a damage claim on the city’s website. Reimbursement is rare, however, as The Enquirer reported in November.

Since 2015, drivers have filed more than 1,000 claims with the city, asking for reimbursement from pothole damage.

The city rejected 98 percent of those claims, paying out only 21 times.