One in 10 UK motorists think the MOT test is an option

UK MoT tests could become less stringent

6 Mar, 2014 2:35pm Alex Yau

Millions of UK drivers are clueless about the legal requirement for MOT tests, insurance and road tax

Worrying new research has revealed that one in ten of us – equivalent to 3.4 million UK drivers – aren’t actually aware that MOT test certificates are a legal requirement.

Most of the 2,000 motorists surveyed by Kwik Fit were also clueless about the checks included in an MOT test. This flagged up concerns that they ignore important maintenance checks because they think they’re covered by the MOT.

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The research shows that 40 per cent of drivers believe an MOT test covers oil checks, whilst 38 per cent expected their battery condition to be sorted out as part of the MOT.

Additionally, around 7 per cent of motorists surveyed have driven without a valid MOT certificate. Meanwhile, 21 per cent said that they attempted to fix faults themselves to try and pass their MOT.

In fact, the MOT test checks the following: vehicle identification number, registration plate, lights, steering, suspension, wipers, windscreen, horn, seatbelts, seats, fuel system, emissions, bodywork, doors, mirrors, brakes, wheels and tyres.

The MOT statistics aren’t the only worrying thing emerging from the Kwik Fit survey either. A total of 9 per cent of motorists didn’t realise car insurance was compulsory and 10 per cent said the same about valid tax discs.

Annual car servicing was considered compulsory by 20 per cent, 46 per cent believed it was law to carry a spare tyre in the UK, whilst 18 per cent believed it was a requirement to carry an emergency warning triangle.

Disqus - noscript

Submitted by Rexton on Thu, 2014-03-06 18:55.

Rubbish. People deliberately giving wrong answers to annoying survey for a laugh.

Submitted by Lance on Thu, 2014-03-06 22:40.

What's "road tax"? Didn't Churchill get rid of that on the 1930s?

Submitted by Alexis on Fri, 2014-03-07 12:52.

A Kwik Fit press release which says their survey found people don't know about MOTs. Which presumably means they should immediately get down to KF. Who'd thunk it?

Submitted by skudfan on Sat, 2014-03-08 11:16.

Exactly, it's been car tax for decades.

Submitted by RogerSavage on Sat, 2014-03-08 13:49.

Whilst I'd always be wary of any press release that serves as an advert for a company (to get their name in print), this makes sense if we consider the large numbers of drivers that have come to the UK from other countries, some of which probably can't even speak or read English fluently.

Submitted by WesternYeoman on Sat, 2014-03-08 17:07.

It's actually a RFL disc, which will cease to exist in November, allowing even more untaxed & uninsured cars on the road.

Submitted by Soren Lorenson on Mon, 2014-03-10 08:35.

An 'advert' survey is always going to be worded in such a way that it can give headline grabbing results. Kwik Fit didn't commission it to greater increase mankinds understanding of itself, did they?

Submitted by stuffandnonsense on Tue, 2014-03-11 17:04.

i don't believe that

Submitted by schnooki on Fri, 2014-03-14 16:04.

No, it's not, since Gordon Brown it is VED - Vehicle Excise Duty.

Submitted by schnooki on Fri, 2014-03-14 16:06.

Most Kwik Fit customers have lease cars under 3 years old and so know not of MOT as these are the fleet manager's problem when they hand the car back for a new one..

Submitted by roughground on Sun, 2014-03-23 18:17.

In my experience Kwik Fit don't have the first idea about what an MOT is either, They usually fail a car on anything they can just to get themselves some work.