Nearly half of drivers think an MOT guarantees a car’s safety for a year, poll shows

A valid MOT certificate means the car meets the minimum standard of roadworthiness at that moment

Car undergoing MOT (SWNS)

Almost half of drivers believe an MOT is a guarantee their car will be safe to drive for the next 12 months, a new poll shows.

A valid MOT certificate only confirms that a car has met the minimum standard of roadworthiness at the moment the test was completed.

However, 47 per cent of respondents thought that if a car passed an MOT, it does not need to be checked for another year.

And the study of 2,000 drivers also found that 42 per cent relied on MOTs as the only annual check.

People who live in London were most likely to have the MOT as their vehicle’s only annual check, with 65 per cent admitting this compared to 30 per cent of respondents who live in Scotland.

Aaron Edwards, MOT category manager at Halfords Autocentres, said: “An MOT is only a certificate to say the car is safe to drive the moment it has been tested, so it is concerning that so many motorists treat it as a service.

“It is not a guarantee that the car is in good running order six months down the line, and it is vital that motorists carry out regular checks as well as an annual service.”

The survey found one third of cars failed their MOT last year, with broken lights the most common reason for failure, something that could be identified by a simple check.

Issues with the suspension and brakes were the second and third most common cause for failure for the drivers asked.

And tyres with less than the minimum legal tread are the fourth biggest reason participants’ cards MOT, with one in 10 failures down to the tyres not being up to scratch.

The study by Halfords Autocentres found 11 per cent of motorists are not sure when their car’s MOT is – potentially risking a fine of up to £1,000 while also invalidating their insurance if their MOT has expired.

SWNS