Over a million unroadworthy vehicles set to return to the roads

Almost 1.1 million unroadworthy vehicles are set to return to the UK’s roads as lockdown eases, new analysis suggests.

An estimated 1,096,000 vehicles that subject to the automatic six-month MoT extension at the end of March would have failed their test - 316,000 with a dangerous defect, and 780,000 with a major defect - according to garage chain Kwik Fit, which analysed both its own historical MoT data and failure rates from the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency).

The company also commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK drivers, which found 49 per cent of those who received an MoT extension didn’t plan to get their car tested until the very end of the extension period.

Of these, eight per cent thought there was something wrong with their car, and expected it to fail its MoT, were it tested. Nonetheless, 71 per cent of drivers said they want to see the Government end the MoT extension now, while 18 per cent think it should wait until traffic returns to normal levels.

Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said: “The extension has been very helpful to drivers during the lockdown, but as COVID-19 prevention measures begin to ease we urge the government to remove the automatic extension in order to prevent dangerous and illegal cars taking to the roads unchecked.

“Our research found that the most common reason people were giving for going to the end of the extension without a test was that they ‘knew their car was safe’. Unfortunately, our experience shows that many people who think their car is safe are actually driving a vehicle with dangerous or major defects - the physical MoT test is a vital way to help ensure the safety of those drivers and the other road users around them.”

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