Warning to UK drivers as one in six guilty of MOT mistake
A vehicle with major problems will fail the test.
Drivers often also receive a list of advisories for minor issues they are not required to resolve immediately.
Examples include tyre tread close to the legal limit, brake pads almost worn out, and small oil leaks.
(Image: Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
The RAC, which commissioned the poll, said it is 'vital drivers keep a close eye' on any issues raised.
Some 44% of the 1,460 drivers surveyed who had a vehicle put through an MOT in the previous year said the test resulted in one or more advisories.
The warnings were not acted on by 54% of these respondents.
Some 17% of this group went on to suffer a vehicle breakdown or collision as a consequence.
Separate Department for Transport figures show 39 people were killed and a further 1,865 were injured in crashes on Britain's roads in 2023 in which vehicle defects were a contributory factor.
The total number of casualties was the highest since 2018.
RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader Nick Mullender warned that MOT advisories 'demand attention' because they mean a vehicle 'isn't in the best of health'.
He said: 'Unfortunately, our research suggests there's a lot of troubling advisory apathy among drivers.
'Advisories indicate the potential for the vehicle to become unroadworthy in a matter of months or even weeks, depending on the nature of the issue and how often the vehicle is driven.
'It's crucial that drivers keep a close eye on any flagged items.'
He added: 'An MOT is the most basic of roadworthiness checks, and no replacement for a proper service by a qualified mechanic.'
How you can avoid MOT fines
Find out when your MOT is due
As soon as your car hits three years-old, it will need an MOT before its birthday each year.
You can easily check when your MOT is due using your number plate on GOV.UK.
You can undertake your MOT test up to a month (minus a day) before its expiry date while still preserving its annual due date.
Set up a reminder
Simply set a reminder on your email calendar - or in Great Britain, you can sign up online to get a free text or email reminder one month before your vehicle's MOT is due.
In Northern Ireland you'll get a letter in the post seven weeks before your MOT is due.
Create a car contingency account
Cars are expensive – there's no denying that – and MOTs can throw up unexpected repair costs in order to pass.
It's a good idea to set up a car contingency savings account; putting aside a little each month to spread the costs and make sure you can afford any unexpected nasty surprises.
Shop around for your MOT
Just as you should shop around for a cheaper premium on your car insurance, you can also compare prices for your MOT.
The maximum price of an MOT is £54.85 for a car and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle.
But many garages will offer it cheaper than this – especially if bought in conjunction with your regular servicing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
UK drivers warned over often overlooked MOT advisory
Motorists could also face legal issues and put themselves in danger, according to an expert. Issues relating to brakes are a common thing flagged by garages during MOT inspections, but despite how important they are, many tend to ignore these if their vehicle does not fail. Expert warns UK motorist about overlooked advisory during MOTs Brake advisories are ignored by many drivers (Image: Getty Images) Speaking with The Sun, Head of Digital Content at Auto Express, Steve Walker, said: "Ignoring MOT advisories on brakes is a serious risk that too many drivers take lightly." "If left unchecked - as 15% of drivers admit they do - these minor issues can quickly escalate into major, costly repairs. "Worse still, if a fault causes an accident and it's found you ignored a brake advisory, you could face significant financial liabilities - and potentially legal consequences." Around 16% of advisories given to drivers are brake-related, with 30% of these being categorised as "dangerous." Recommended Reading: What are MOT advisories? According to the RAC, advisories are notes put on a passed MOT certificate to indicate potential problems in the future. However, you are legally allowed to drive the car without addressing them at that time. The organisation states: "Sometimes when you pass your annual MOT, you will be given a list of small or potential problems that should be looked at as soon as possible. However, you can legally drive without addressing them – these are advisories. "The UK has one of the world's most extensive vehicle safety tests, and there are many ways in which you can fail an MOT. Advisories are defects that do not constitute a failed MOT."
ITV News
5 hours ago
- ITV News
Electric cars grant: Who will qualify for the £3,750 discount?
Grants for new electric cars are being reintroduced after being scrapped in 2022, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced. Drivers will now be able to reduce the cost of purchasing a new electric vehicle by up to £3,750. Who will qualify for the government grant? The scheme is available for anyone who wants to buy a new electric car, but it's restricted to vehicles priced at up to £37,000. Amounts will be based on a car's sustainability criteria. The greenest vehicles will be in band one, which means a grant of up to £3,750. Band two vehicles will receive up to £1,500. Officials hope the measure will encourage more drivers to switch to electric motoring. Currently, drivers buying electric cars can benefit from tax breaks if their employer has a company car scheme, but there have been no universally available grants since they were axed by the Conservative government in June 2022. When does the new scheme come into place? Car manufacturers will be able to apply for the money through the Electric Car Grant from Wednesday. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'This EV grant will not only allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money – it'll help our automotive sector seize one of the biggest opportunities of the 21st century. "With over 82,000 public charge points now available across the UK, we've built the infrastructure families need to make the switch with confidence.' The grants will be funded through a new £650 million scheme. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said discounted cars should start appearing at dealerships 'within weeks'. He added: 'As the biggest savings will be given to cars with the strongest green manufacturing credentials, drivers will be picking models that are not only better for their wallets, but better for the planet too.' What changes have been made to charging electric vehicles? The DfT announced last week that road signs for electric vehicle charging hubs will be introduced on major A roads in England. It also launched a £25 million scheme for local authorities to support residents without off-road parking to recharge electric cars using cables connected to their homes, embedded in pavements. How will the new grant affect car sales? Under the government's zero-emission vehicle (Zev) mandate, at least 28% of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero-emission, which generally means pure electric. The figure across all manufacturers for this in the first half of the year was 21.6%. Changes to the Zev mandate mean it will be easier for manufacturers who do not meet the targets to avoid fines. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in April that sales of new hybrids that cannot be plugged in will be permitted to continue until 2035. What has been the reaction to this announcement? Conservative shadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon accused the government of 'forcing families into more expensive electric vehicles before the country is ready', adding the reintroduction of grants would mean 'more pain for taxpayers'. He said: 'Last year, only one in 10 private purchases of new cars was electric. This is a product people demonstrably do not want. "Last week, the Office for Budget Responsibility made clear the transition to EVs comes at a cost, and this scheme only adds to it. Make no mistake: more tax rises are coming in the autumn.' The Conservative Environment Network also described the grants as 'a waste of taxpayers' money', given declining prices for electric vehicles, but urged the government to invest in charging infrastructure instead, 'giving confidence to a new generation of drivers to go electric'.
The Guardian
7 hours ago
- The Guardian
Get in gear for driving from the UK to mainland Europe
If you are driving your own car to mainland Europe this year, there are plenty of things to think about in addition to how you are going to fit all your stuff in the vehicle. Most European police will want to see your driving licence if they pull you over – check yours is still valid and renew it online if it has expired, or is about to. They will also ask for proof of insurance and your vehicle logbook (V5C), if you have one. You don't need an international driving permit in the EU, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland if you have a photocard licence issued in the UK. However, if you have a paper licence, you will need to update it to a photocard or get an IDP. Go to for details. Some countries require drivers to carry certain things. For example, in much of Europe, including popular destinations such as France, Italy and Germany, you need a warning triangle. In some countries, including Germany and France, you will need a hi-vis vest, too. Don't forget to use headlamp beam converter stickers to stop your headlights dazzling other road users. These are compulsory in places such as France. They can be bought easily for a few pounds. If you don't have these things, an easy option is to pick up a European driving kit from retailers such as Halfords (£32.50 at time of writing) or the RAC (from £25.99). You will need a sticker for your vehicle if your number plate doesn't include the UK identifier with the union flag. If it has a GB identifier with the union flag, a euro symbol, a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales, or numbers and letters only, you must display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle. If you are in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker no matter what is on your number plate. However, you don't need a UK sticker or identifier to drive in Ireland. All UK car insurance policies automatically provide you with third-party cover while in EU countries, plus a few others including Switzerland. This covers your legal liability to others – for example, if you injure someone in an accident or damage their property – but won't cover damage to your own vehicle. Most people will want to take their comprehensive cover with them, so check with your provider to see what is, and isn't, included in your policy. The good news is that plenty of insurers automatically include driving elsewhere in Europe with their comprehensive cover. For example, with LV= you are covered for up to 180 days over the policy year, while all of Admiral's comprehensive insurance, except for its Essential policies, includes 90-day European cover. Bear in mind that with some companies you may only be covered for 30 days over the year. With others, such as Aviva, you only get third-party cover as standard, and if you want comprehensive for driving in Europe, you have to buy a policy add-on. Alternatively, you can buy short-term European car insurance from another provider to cover your trip. You can get this through a price comparison website. 'You might find this to be an easier solution than adding cover to your existing policy,' MoneySuperMarket says. Again, check if you are already covered. New cars often come with European roadside assistance, or breakdown cover, while the vehicle is in warranty. It may also be included in a monthly service plan or if you have the car serviced at a main dealer. A number of bank accounts – particularly paid-for ones – include European breakdown cover. Among them are Nationwide's FlexPlus (which costs £18 a month), Monzo's Max (from £17 a month) and the Co-operative Bank's Everyday Extra (£18 a month). Barclays offers customers a 'travel pack' add-on, costing £14.50 a month, that includes European breakdown cover and worldwide travel insurance (there is a six-month minimum term). If you don't have any European breakdown cover, a few weeks' worth should not break the bank. A Compare the Market comparison of single-trip policies for a 2019 Volvo V40, based on two weeks in France in August, found the cheapest policy was £31.79 from Cover My Breakdown. However, for a big road trip, unless you have a super-reliable car that has not given you any problems, it may be wise to go for something offering a bit more than a budget policy. For the scenario mentioned, the RAC would charge either £82.30 or £133.74 depending on the level of cover, while the AA wants £100.03, or £85.74 if you are a member. If you are driving to France, you need to be aware of the country's low emission zones, and the clean air sticker – called a Crit'Air vignette – that you are required to display if you plan to enter one of a number of urban areas. These stickers are used to identify the vehicle's emission levels and, in some cases, restrict access in order to improve air quality. 'Although France's National Assembly voted [in May this year] to scrap low emission zones (ZFEs), the rules around Crit'Air stickers haven't changed yet. UK drivers still need the right sticker to enter many French cities,' the RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis says. Fail to comply and you could face a fine of up to €180 (£155). There are six categories in the Crit'Air vignette system, from green for the cleanest vehicles (for example, 100% electric) to dark grey for the dirtiest. Drivers need to apply via the official French government website and ensure their sticker is displayed before they enter France – so do not leave this until the last minute. For British vehicles, the sticker costs €4.91 (£4.23) including postage. Le Havre and its port are within a low emissions zone, says Brittany Ferries, while other cities operating zones include Caen, Rouen, Rennes and Nantes. Paris and Lyon have particularly strict rules. The RAC has a useful webpage with lots of information on the scheme and which towns and cities need a sticker, and the French government website for the scheme has information and a map. When planning your trip, don't forget to factor in the cost of any motorway tolls and consider how you will pay them. It now costs about €125 (£107) in tolls to drive from Calais to Nice on the south coast of France (so roughly double that for a return trip). You can avoid them, but this will almost certainly add time to your journey. ViaMichelin has a useful tool at that will calculate the estimated total cost of tolls and fuel for your journey. There are payment services you can sign up to that let you use the automated lanes so you can drive straight through and beat any queues, but unless you are planning a lot of journeys, it's probably easier to pay as you go by credit card at the booths or machines. (That is, if you have a front seat passenger to lean out of their window to pay) Emovis Tag, for example, sells tags for France, Spain and Portugal, but there are several upfront and ongoing charges, which may mean it is not cost-effective to use them for a one-off trip. If they do look good value for your break, LeShuttle's car service is running an offer on the tags. The RAC has useful online guides to tolls in France and Spain.
