Millions of drivers could be caught out over common MOT mistakes this winter.
DVSA rules state your vehicle must have a valid MOT certificate if it is to be driven. You also cannot drive or park your vehicle on the road if the MOT has run out, and you can be prosecuted if caught.
You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT. If your car has failed an MOT for a dangerous problem, yet you continue to drive it, you can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get three penalty points.
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The ECHO previously reported that one in five motorists were unaware of the legal requirements for their vehicles. And a huge 38% of drivers didn't realise they needed to have an MOT done each year.
Now, a new study has revealed the most common reasons cars fail their MOT in the run up to the festive period, with lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment named the biggest problem area. Insurance broker One Sure Insurance analysed data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to determine the most common reasons for MOT failure among vehicles between October-December.
Drivers need to be especially vigilant when monitoring their car this time of year, as almost a third of cars fail their winter MOT, with an average of 2.5 issues detected. Ranking first as the most common reason for MOT failure was faults in lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.
The top 10 reasons are:
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
- Suspension
- Brakes
- Tyres
- Visibility
- Body, chassis and structure
- Noise, emissions and leaks
- Steering
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems
- Identification of the vehicle
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