An Extended MOT – How Safe is Your Car?

At the height of the UK’s fight against coronavirus The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) issued guidance that a car, van or motorcycle’s MOT expiry date could be extended by six months if it was due on or after March 30. In contrast, the Government also allowed garages and MOT testing centres to remain open under the exception it provided an essential service. For many the opportunity to delay their MOT by a few weeks was exactly the ruling they needed to continue to use their vehicles and be able to perform their roles during the pandemic, however as we move into more relaxed guidance around COVID-19 many motor trade professionals are predicting some issues that may arise.

Firstly is the majority of people decide to take the full six month extension the UK’s MOT testing system could become overloaded later this year. That could happen more than just once, firstly once the country comes out of lockdown testing centres could see a flurry of bookings that they cannot cope with. Most MOT stations have a small number of technicians who are qualified to carry out.

If most people decide to take advantage of the six-month extension, the concern is that the UK’s MOT testing system could become overloaded. When the six-months is up the vehicle will then need to take a “test”. At this point vehicles that are ordinarily due for their test to be carried out will also need to be done. Most MOT stations have a small number of technicians who are qualified to carry out MOT’s and they can only do so many in any given day.

The DVSA carries out around 30 million MOT’s a year through 23,000 test centres. If all this summer’s MOT’s are being pushed back into the autumn/winter period, that could put immense pressure on the system and leave drivers struggling to find MOT booking slot.

Another concern is how roadworthy the vehicle is during the six-month extension period? Would you have been driving a vehicle not knowing whether it is safe or not?

When the MOT finally gets carried out there is a good chance that it may require additional work. On average 34% of vehicles fail the MOT test and require rectification work to pass. This can be something as simple as replacing a tyre or at times can be mechanical faults that make the vehicle unsafe to drive.

Now let’s be fair to the British public and assume that neither of the above scenarios take place, the one piece of advice that all motor trade professionals are screaming for now is to get your MOT booked sooner than later. The onus remains on the driver to keep the vehicle safe to drive and in a roadworthy condition and while there are certainly drivers out there capable of making and addressing some issues for the vast majority of us we need to leave it to the professionals to diagnose and repair any problems. Drivers who drive a defective or dangerous vehicle even if it is while carrying out essential work or going food shopping, could still be prosecuted for the offence, despite the six-month MOT extension.

Here at Rivervale we are open for MOT’s, service bookings and repairs.

To book call 01273 433480