No matter whether they are a party hound from Brighton, a businessperson from Manchester or a farmer in Scotland, all drivers have something in common: the need for their vehicles to have an annual MOT test once they have passed the third anniversary of their registration date. Love it or loathe it, the MOT test plays a vital role in the UK’s road safety processes – here’s how they link up.
In the Beginning
In 1960, more people were beginning to get their driving licences and buy cars and the road networks were dramatically expanding, growing into high-speed motorways, and linking every town and village along the way. However, at this same time, the number of old, poor-condition cars and trucks were ageing out while still being driven hard – and this meant that the incidence of road accidents was increasing, particularly when one of these old, unfit vehicles broke down suddenly, only for three or four – or even more – cars to crash into them. The rising death and accident toll was concerning to the government of the day, particularly the Ministry of Transport (as the Ministry for Transport was known in those days) who were tasked with solving the problem.
The MOT Test
The Ministry’s solution was to come up with a roadworthiness test that all vehicles must pass in order to legally use public roads. At first there were only three items on the checklist (lights, brakes and steering) and vehicles were ten before their first MOT test – but this did not last long. With a very high fail rate continuing to cause worries, the test time limit was brought down to seven years, and then to three, which is where it remains currently (although there are often suggestions to raise it to four years); while the checklist itself has taken on new items every year or so until it has reached the current forty or so items.
How Does That Make the Roads Safer?
Needing to keep your car in a roadworthy condition has massively reduced the incidents of road accidents since the implementation of the test. It is hard to prove a negative – it is impossible to put a number on the lives not lost to accidents – but estimates and comparisons from before and after the implementation of the test sets the figure in the very high thousands. In case your test is due, book your MOT in Brighton with KAP Motor Group today!
The link between MOT tests and road safety is clearly established and irrefutable – keep your car in great shape.
