More than half of drivers delay MOTs

A YouGov poll commissioned by The Motor Ombudsman has found that the majority of car owners have taken advantage of the six-month MOT extension.

The study revealed that 56% of those survey had decided to make use of the extra time, with over a third (36%) saying they would book an MOT before or on the newly-extended due date.

A further one in five (20%) said that they had let the original deadline given to them in 2019 pass but had used the additional window to get their car’s MOT completed ahead of schedule.

The findings of the research echoed data provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which revealed that nearly 4.9 million MOTs were conducted between 1 April and 30 June, a decline of more than 50% compared to the same period last year.

Of those drivers taking advantage of the MOT extension, nearly three quarters (72%) had (30%) or were continuing (42%) to perform regular safety checks. Conversely, 22% had not paid any attention to their vehicle.

Bill Fennell, chief ombudsman and managing director, said: “The results of our study and wider industry data clearly shows that there is cause for worry, due to the number of potentially unsafe cars on the road that have not had their MOT. This is compounded by the concern that the recent government announcement has created very little impetus to buck this trend.

“If their personal situation allows, and with many garages and repairers once again opening their doors following the lifting of recent lockdown restrictions, we are urging consumers to take their cars for the annual assessment as soon as possible. This means that they will have a better chance of securing a booking, and will also help to alleviate a large build-up of outstanding tests that could leave MOT stations unable to cope at a later date.”