More than a million cars on UK roads do not have an MOT

New research from Halfords shows three per cent of motorists have skipped their MOT in the past year, equating to around 1.2 million vehicles.

The figures show an increasing trend among younger drivers, with six per cent of Gen Z admitting to missing their MOT, double the national average.

This rises to eight per cent of Gen Z drivers who confessed to having ever skipped an MOT, in comparison to three per cent of Gen X and two per cent of baby boomers.

The research also found men are more than twice as likely to skip MOTs than women.

What can fail an MOT test?

Why do drivers skip their MOT? 

There are a variety of reasons motorists claim for skipping an MOT. Over a third who did (36%) say they simply forgot it was due. 

Meanwhile over a quarter (27%) purposefully skipped it due to the cost of the MOT itself. A further quarter (25%) chose to skip because of struggles with motoring costs in general. 

The wider cost of living appears to be a factor – 61% of the British population reported they’ve experienced an increase in the cost of living meaning the situation may be getting worse. 

This could also contribute to the situation deteriorating – more than four in ten (42%) motorists currently say they are concerned about affording their next MOT. 

Of them, 69% report they are worried about unexpected repairs costs that might arise during an MOT and 50% are concerned about being able to afford it in light of the rising cost of living.

MOT’s are an annual legal requirement to ensure vehicles meet safety and environmental standards. Those without an MOT are potentially dangerous, putting both the driver, their passengers, and other road users in danger. Not having an MOT can also carry fines of up to £1,000, six points in a license and invalidate insurance. 

Halfords Motoring Expert Andy Turbefield says: “Many people are feeling the squeeze financially, but skipping your MOT is a false economy.

“It can actually lead to greater financial burden if you get fined and if you were to crash your vehicle and a lack of an MOT invalidates your insurance, you could be out of pocket for far more. 

“MOT failures are often a result of low-cost issues such as a blown bulb or even low screenwash.”

How you can avoid MOT fines

Find out when your MOT is due

As soon as your car hits three years-old, it will need an MOT before its birthday each year.

You can easily check when your MOT is due using your number plate on GOV.UK.

You can undertake your MOT test up to a month (minus a day) before its expiry date while still preserving its annual due date.

Set up a reminder

Simply set a reminder on your email calendar – or in Great Britain, you can sign up online to get a free text or email reminder one month before your vehicle’s MOT is due.

In Northern Ireland you’ll get a letter in the post seven weeks before your MOT is due.

Create a car contingency account

Cars are expensive – there’s no denying that – and MOTs can throw up unexpected repair costs in order to pass.

It’s a good idea to set up a car contingency savings account; putting aside a little each month to spread the costs and make sure you can afford any unexpected nasty surprises.

Shop around for your MOT

Just as you should shop around for a cheaper premium on your car insurance, you can also compare prices for your MOT.

The maximum price of an MOT is £54.85 for a car and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle.

But many garages will offer it cheaper than this – especially if bought in conjunction with your regular servicing.