MOT tests are a legal requirement for almost all the vehicles on the roads in the UK. The test is designed to ensure cars and vans are safe and roadworthy. However, it was recently reported that there is an MOT test crisis as millions of cars and vans fail their MOT every year. While this is probably inevitable with older cars, a lot of motorists are failing for minor, avoidable issues.
MOT Test Crisis
In a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made to the Ministry of Transport, official figures showed that more than two million cars failed their MOT last year simply due to worn tyres! Tyre faults can land a driver with a £2,500 fine and 3 penalty points per wheel, despite it being simple to check your tread depth yourself at home using nothing more than a 20p coin.
The Dangers of Worn Tyres
Worn tyres don’t just get you fined if you are stopped by the police. They also put yourself, your passengers and other road users at risk. Government statistics show that the most prevalent vehicle defect in 2017 for crashes where someone was seriously injured or killed was under-inflated or illegal tyres. Over 30% of the casualties were tyre-related, putting them above brakes, steering and suspension faults. Another study recently found that 9 out of 10 sellers of part-worn tyres fit unsafe or illegal rubber.
The Reasons For MOT Failure
In 2018, MOT Statistics show that the following numbers of vehicles failed MOTs test with either Dangerous or Major faults.
- Lamps, reflectors, electrical equipment – 4,402,887
- Suspension – 3,119,129
- Brakes – 2,584,925
- Tyres – 2,015,043
- Poor visibility – 1,789,342
- Body, structure, chassis – 1,375,433
- Noise, leaks and emissions- 1,147,699
- Steering – 644,497
- Seat belts – 437,633
- Vehicle ID (e.g. number plates)- 152,299
Car Clinic MOT Centre
For a free Ellesmere Port tyres quote, Ellesmere Port MOT or an Ellesmere Port car repairs quote, just give us a call or pop in.
