Drivers urged to book MOT tests before ‘frantic fall’
Is your car winter weather ready?
An MOT is the only way to tell if your car is safe enough to take on the elements but a ‘scramble for slots’ late in the year might make booking your test more difficult than usual.
A long MOT wait time
The AA has warned drivers that they shouldn’t wait until the last possible moment to book an MOT as large numbers of drivers are due to visit their local garage towards this autumn.
Penny Stoolman, managing director of AA Approved Garages, said; “With more than 10 million MOT tests due to take place across ‘Frantic Fall’, the scramble for slots could be chaotic.”
Ms Stoolman, added: “With household budgets stretched, drivers may be tempted to leave repairs on their car until the last possible moment or wait for the MOT to spot faults but with colder, wetter weather due in the coming months, leaving blown bulbs, torn tyres and cracked windscreens unrepaired could cause more damage to both the car and the wallet.”
You can check the MOT status of your vehicle on the government’s website and should aim to get your car booked in up to a month (minus a day) before the expiry date.
Protecting you and your vehicle
An MOT test checks that your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards, and if you fail to pass the test, you will not be able to drive or park your vehicle on the road.
In 2021, AA found that nearly 30% of cars, vans and minibuses initially failed their MOT.
MOT data from the 2021/22 financial year found that “lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment” record the most MOT defects, having been flagged on almost 3.75 million failed tests. Once flagged, however, it is easy to repair these issues, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of your vehicle.
What are the safest cars of 2022? Read to find out.
