29% of motorists allowed their MOT certificate to expire

A new study conducted by Kwik Fit has revealed that 29% of British motorises have forgotten to renew their MOT certificate before their existing one expired.

Based on a sample size of 2,000, this percentage could be relative to roughly 11.6 million UK motorists. A further 16% of respondents admitted to repeatedly forgetting to renew their vehicle’s MOT certificate in the past.

Of those who let their MOT lapse, 24% used their car for three days or less, however the average length of time drivers used their cars without an MOT certificate was 66!

Driving a car without a valid MOT certificate on a public road is illegal unless the vehicle is being driven to, or from, a pre-booked MOT test centre. If caught, offenders risk a fine of up to £1,000 or, if the vehicle is deemed to be dangerous, up to £2,500.

 Book in advance to avoid slip-ups

Kwik Fit’s communications director, Roger Griggs, said:

“It is concerning to see that people are knowingly or unwittingly driving a vehicle which could pose a danger to them or other road users,”

“Allowing a vehicle’s MOT to expire is not only potentially dangerous, there is also the chance of a significant financial penalty and in some cases, it could cost someone their licence.

“We understand that people have busy lives and MOT dates can slip off the calendar or a ‘to do’ list. To assist with this we have a reminder service people can sign up to, confirming a vehicle’s MOT due date. We would encourage drivers who don’t have a note of their expiry date to check it and get it marked in the calendar with plenty of time, to avoid any issues. March is a peak month for MOTs and so drivers should book as far in advance as possible to ensure they don’t end up driving illegally.”

Click Dealer is the preferred performance partner for over 1,500 automotive dealerships. If you’d like to find out more about how Click Dealer can help your business, please get in touch with us on 01782 478 220 or by email using marketing@clickdealer.co.uk