Your annual MOT test can be a nightmare: a period of stress, worry and expense – or it can be a breeze. The difference lies in understanding what the MOT inspector is looking for, and taking steps – throughout the year – to keep your car in compliant condition. Remember, the MOT is just the proof of roadworthiness at the moment of the test: the vehicle should always be safe to drive on the UK’s roads. Let’s take a look at how even the most scatter-brained driver can avoid silly MOT failures.
Understand Why You Need an MOT Test
The MOT test was introduced in 1960 in a bid to reduce the shockingly high and increasing death toll on the UK’s brand-new motorway and highway network. The test was not as concerned with the good running of the vehicle, but rather with the ability of the driver and other road users to cope with an unexpected event occurring, such as an engine failure. The driver needed to be able to remain in control of the car, be seen by and see other drivers, and they needed to be able to move safely to the shoulder and then stop the car. Over the years, more points have been added, including environmental concerns (emissions) and other points of interest, but the basic premise of the test remains the same: to keep all the UK’s road users safe.
Ignorance is No Excuse
Not knowing that this requirement, or that one, is part of the MOT test is not an acceptable excuse for your vehicle not being up to standard. For example, the need to have your tyres inflated to within the recommended range is a new addition to the list, and the MOT inspector will treat this requirement with the same gravitas as any of the other points on the list, from the newest to the most long-standing.
Know the Checklist
A good way to stay up to date is to subscribe to motoring news sites – or you could just check the MOT checklist itself once a month or so. It is widely available, and any changes are promptly uploaded, so you have no reason to ever be taken by surprise by the newest addition to the list.
Plan Ahead
Get yourself into a maintenance routine, in which you undertake a few simple checks and remedies every month: top up the air in the tyres, check the whole car for signs of damage that might worsen in time, and familiarise yourself with the MOT checklist, so you can keep an eye on all the relevant pieces of your car.
If you are still unsure about any of this, or just need some reassurance, visit Elite Direct to get free advice from our MOT experts.
