The majority of motor vehicles must be subjected to an annual MOT test once they are three years old – a nerve-wracking experience for owners of older cars.
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Passing the test got trickier last year when new stricter rules were rolled out
by the government. In turn this has led to a
significant spike in the number of failures that are being recorded across the
country.
Problems Revealed
Figures show that almost 200,000 more MOT test failures occurred in the immediate aftermath of the rollout of the changes last year than had done in the quarter leading up to this deadline, according to the Sun.
This is significant because the primary purpose of the test is to make sure that vehicles are safe for use on public roads. Until a pass is achieved, a car which fails cannot legally be driven without the likelihood of the person behind the wheel being hit with a fine.
Such restrictions are put in place to prevent accidents, and it is not just private car owners that need to take this on board but also professionals in the industry. Having adequate motor trade insurance, offered on sites like https://www.quotemetoday.co.uk/motor-trade-insurance, is therefore vital.
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Reasons Explained
The
changes to testing procedure included the introduction of three new
categorisations that are applied to any defects present in a car. Minor faults
are highlighted but are allowable, whereas major and dangerous faults that are
found will result in an automatic failure of the MOT in its new guise.
Whereas motorists could previously drive their vehicle to a different location
to get the necessary repairs carried out, this is no longer an option. It must
be repaired immediately, without being moved, or else scrapped outright.
Clearly, the idea of scrapping a car if it fails an MOT is not something that
most motorists would be eager to embrace, but campaigners are also keen to
avoid situations in which customers feel pressured to settle for the services
of the provider of the test.
The MOT testing market remains competitive, even if it is a mandatory process
that all drivers must take on at some point. This means that there is an
incentive for garages and dealerships to outdo each other with the test
services they offer, which should bolster the quality enjoyed by customers.