21.07.2026 14:40
In Eskişehir, damaged roads and raised manhole covers are creating hazards for drivers. Most recently, a young person's car, bought with saved money, suffered severe damage and the airbag deployed. Local shopkeepers have called on authorities for action.
The broken road and the raised manhole cover in Eskişehir's Baksan Industrial Site have become a nightmare for drivers and local tradesmen. Most recently, a young man who saved money and bought a car had his vehicle severely damaged after hitting the manhole cover. It was reported that airbags have deployed for the 5th time in the area due to the same reason.
VEHICLES ARE BEING WRECKED The broken road and manhole cover on 3099th Street in Baksan Industrial Site, Uluönder District, Tepebaşı, Eskişehir, are virtually turning vehicles into scrap. After turning a corner, 22-year-old Furkan Solmaz, who could not notice the raised manhole cover and hit it, had his airbags deploy in his car, which he had bought a year ago after saving money, and the vehicle became immobile. Local tradesmen stated that similar accidents have occurred multiple times at the same spot before and called on the authorities. Meanwhile, they claimed that many vehicles have been damaged due to the said road and manhole cover in the vicinity.
ONE YEAR OF EFFORT WENT TO WASTE Furkan Solmaz, the vehicle owner who expressed his grievance after the accident, said, "After turning a corner on the road, my car hit the manhole cover and the airbag deployed. My car is not drivable right now. I bought the car 2-3 months ago for about 300,000 lira including insurance, with money I saved by working at a burger joint for a year. This is reportedly the 5th accident on this street; all had their airbags deployed in the same way, and the municipality has done nothing about it. Now, in the summer, when I should be out having fun, my car is not drivable. I think the car will lose a lot of value; it will show an airbag fault in the expert inspection. I hadn't even driven it much; it had just passed inspection" he said.
"CAR KILLER GRATE" Mustafa Kopal, who has been a tradesman in the area for 7 years and also had an accident at the same spot, reacted to the situation with the following statements:
"I have been a tradesman here for 7 years, and the incidents we have been experiencing recently have gone too far. This is the 5th car; our own car also had its airbag deploy here. The problem with this grate and the dust issue never end. I work inside, but the dust outside is ruining me; we can't even open the door. We have great financial and emotional losses. The airbag deployed at this grate. Our neighbor and another woman passing by also had their airbags deploy in the same way. This grate is a car killer. God knows how many more will happen after this. We have been saying this for years; I submit written petitions to the municipality every time. If they are not going to do it, we, as tradesmen, are willing to do it ourselves. Let them say, 'We won't do it,' just so we know. We bring sand and fix it ourselves, but after two days, once the water drains, it's the same again. I don't know who or where to apply to. As tradesmen, we are very distressed here. It's 2026, when will asphalt be laid here? We haven't been able to get this grate fixed. I see videos of work on social media, but these might just be social media municipality work because I haven't seen any actual work on the ground."