First MOT Test to Remain at Three Years Amid Safety Concerns
19th January 2018
New cars will now NOT have to wait four years for their first MOT, following a U-turn on the Government’s proposal last year to increase the wait. Safety concerns are being cited as the main reason behind the scrapped plans, following a recent consultation in which it is understood less than half of the public questioned were in favour of the new MOT structure.
Introduced in 1960, the MOT test was initially taken 10 years into the life of a new car, and by 1967 this was reduced to three years. Having not changed in the 50 years since and considering the advance in car manufacturing and technology, the Government noted the heavy decline in accidents caused by 3-4 year old cars, and used this data to propose the MOT change. Other countries using a four-year MOT include Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway and Spain.
Each year, almost 2.5 million cars receive their first MOT test. The Government last year estimated that over £100 million would be saved by drivers with the introduction of a four-year wait for a new car’s first MOT. Since then however, it has been debated that the increased risk in safety of waiting an extra year for the MOT wouldn’t be worth the saving.
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