All vehicles, whether cars, bikes, or trucks have to get their MOT licence, annually, after completing three years in the UK. It makes sure vehicles driven on roads in the UK are roadworthy, safe, and giving out reduced emissions. While the checks for cars and bikes might not be the same, the overall process of booking an MOT test stays unchanged.
In 2018, they updated the tests to account for changes taking place to cars and overall within the automobile industry. They even added new ones, not conducted before. Additionally, the battery of tests, already in the system improved to make sure they tested modern vehicles properly. In the same year, more than 10 million vehicles failed the tests, not meeting the requirements put forward.
Almost double the number of vehicles that failed the emission test in the previous year failed it this year. The rules were a lot tougher to improve air quality, but cars were supposed to be roadworthy whether they were clearing the test or not. Nearly 750,000 cars failed the emissions test in the six months, compared with 350,000 during the same period last year. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) released statistics showing that most of the vehicles failing the emissions tests were diesel cars which significantly rose from 3,585 to 19,648.
Some of the changes made to the test were
Diesel cars were subject to tighter smoke limits. Furthermore, the new MOT released categories stating the condition of the vehicle post the check, which informed people of whether they cleared or needed to get to a garage immediately. Vehicles that were marked ‘dangerous’ could not be driven until a dangerous defect was repaired. The changes to how defects are categorised in the MOT were, minor, major, or dangerous, which were designed to make it simpler for motorists to know if their vehicle is safe to drive.
Additionally, vehicles failing the MOT are taken off the road until they fixed and solved all their issues. Motorists can receive a fine of up to £1,000 for driving without a valid MOT. Other than having an MOT licence, they should also be driving a roadworthy vehicle. They could receive a fine of twice the amount if they are driving a vehicle that does not match the requirements of being on the road.
With the Coronavirus pandemic hitting the world, many did not want to leave their houses to get their vehicle fixed. While the Government delayed the MOT tests by six months for all vehicle owners who needed to get it done between 30th March to 31st July, they also mentioned that they had to keep their cars roadworthy. People could book MOT online and show up to the garage in time to get the vehicle tested. They should get their vehicle to a service centre in advance to make sure it clears the MOT test. They now created a one-step process to book MOT, while also reviewing all the testing centres to make sure vehicles were well inspected.