Author: Robin Roberts
An MoT reminder scheme should be developed says the Institute of Advanced Motorists.
IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said, “In 2010, poorly maintained vehicles caused 52 road deaths. Neglecting maintenance only leads to bigger repair bills later on, lower second-hand values, and increased fuel consumption. There are also fines if you get caught.
“More frontline policing and better co-ordination between agencies such as VOSA and the DVLA will help get the worst examples off the road, but In the meantime VOSA should extend the MOT reminder scheme so that no driver can plead ignorance of their renewal date.”
He was speaking after Britannia Rescue discovered as many as seven million cash strapped car and van owners are delaying essential maintenance and driving without an MoT. Garages are also missing out on maintenance work as owners delay repairs, which often end up costing much more than if a fault was fixed when it occurred.
Company car law requires all vehicles to be roadworthy but also covers employees using their own vehicles on business. Businesses which ignore the legislation risk possible action for corporate manslaughter in the event of a fatal accident involving an employee or anyone else.
On average the hard-up drivers are waiting four months to make a repair and then its to get through the annual MoT.
Around a quarter (23%) of motorists admit that their cars have a defect which renders it illegal and one in seven (14%) say their vehicle is in urgent need of repair. The most common defect is bald tyres but other common problems include faulty brakes, broken windscreen wipers, broken or missing wing mirrors and defective brake lights.
One in five (18%) motorists have even driven cars without valid a MOT certificate, although it is illegal to do so. Two thirds of these say they did so unknowingly because they had forgotten to check the renewal date on the certificate but a third say they were aware at the time and drove the car anyway.
If you are caught driving a car without a valid MOT, you can be given three penalty points be fined up to £1,000 and invalidate the car’s insurance. Businesses must have a company car policy in force under health and safety requires.
Police data shows that the number of drivers caught driving cars that were not roadworthy increased in 2011 by 4% across the UK. The most common recorded offence is driving with defective tyres, followed by driving a vehicle that is in a ‘dangerous’ condition. Other common offences include driving a car that has defective brakes or defective steering.
