MOT advisories ignored by 20% of drivers
New research has revealed that more than a fifth of drivers in the UK regularly ignore MOT advisories.
The analysis found that 10% of those drivers said they couldn’t afford to fix advisories while 12% said if the advisories were important and needed addressing immediately their cars would fail their MOTs.
However, May’s Startline Used Car Tracker, which questioned 308 consumers and 66 dealers, also found that 44% of respondents agreed that advisories are important to maintaining the upkeep of their cars.
Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “Advisories are notes on your MOT test certificate indicating potential issues with your vehicle that, while not serious enough to cause an immediate failure, should be addressed soon to maintain roadworthiness and prevent future failures.
“While they are not immediately essential by their nature, they are listed because they will probably need attention soon, and it’s worrying that so many motorists choose not to get them carried out – either because they think the repairs aren’t important or because they can’t afford them.
“Perhaps the biggest concern is the one in 20 people in our research who indicate they deal with maintenance in an entirely reactive manner, only repairing their car when it breaks down. This could be potentially dangerous.”
He continued: “Our research also shows that almost four out of five people consider their advisories and almost half recognise the importance of their role in keeping their car safe and roadworthy, which is encouraging. However, there is clearly a wide spread of attitudes when it comes to the MOT test and car maintenance in general.”
