Cost of living crisis sees one in five drivers skipping vital MOT despite massive fine

A growing number of drivers are skipping their car’s MOT amid the rising cost of living, new research suggests. 

As many as one in five motorists could be driving without a valid test, exposing themselves to huge fines and putting their own and other road users’ safety at risk, according to the survey of more than 2,000 drivers.

The poll by Compare the Market found that 22% of people admitted to driving a car without a valid test - up from 18% a year ago. The largest proportion (27%) said they simply forgot but a significant 22% said they had deliberately skipped the test because they could not afford to have any repair work done. 

While the cost of an MOT test has not changed for several years, garage bills, like every other aspect of day-to-day life, have risen as workshops face rising energy costs and higher prices for spare parts. It is feared that these increasing costs are causing drivers to delay routine maintenance and more urgent repairs and could lead to more dangerous cars on the roads as drivers prioritise spending elsewhere. 

Three of the four most common reason for MOT failures are major mechanical elements such as suspension, brakes and tyres, with the latter two behind 2.1 million test refusals in 2021-22. 

A separate study by Halfords found that two thirds of drivers were putting off replacing their car’s tyres specifically due to cost concerns, despite the safety-critical component coming up as an advisory in a third of all MOTs. 

Any tyre with less than 3mm tread depth is classed as an MOT advisory, down to the legal minimum limit of 1.6mm. However, experts advise that tyres are replaced once they reach 3mm of tread depth, for safety reasons. Research by the University of Cardiff found that the difference in stopping distance between tyres with 4mm or tread and tyres with the legal minimum of 1.6mm is 36% in wet driving conditions. This equates to an additional 89ft at 70mph.

Worryingly, one in seven drivers said they would wait until the performance of their tyre degraded noticeably, by losing grip or braking ability. 

Despite the number who said they had driven without an MOT, less than half were aware of the massive fine the offence carries. Driving without a valid MOT can see you fined £1,000. Similarly, you can be fined up to £2,500 and given three penalty points for every illegal tyre.

Julie Daniels from the car insurance team at Compare the Market says: “An MOT is a legally required annual inspection of cars, motorcycles and light goods vehicles that are more than three years old, so it’s concerning to see how many motorists are failing to adhere to this. 

"Not only does driving without an MOT put yourself and other road users in danger, but it could also invalidate your car insurance policy, as most insurance providers include having a valid MOT certificate as a condition of your car insurance policy. 

"So, in most cases your insurance will be invalidated if you drive without an MOT – and that means you’ll be breaking the law twice: firstly, by driving without a valid MOT and secondly, for driving without valid insurance.

Halfords CEO Graham Stapleton added: “These figures continue to show the impact the cost of living crisis is directly having on the safety of motorists on our roads. When a warning is issued for tyres it could mean that in a matter of miles the tyres could be illegal. Yet the vast majority of motorists say they wouldn’t change them right away. Given how few motorists check their own tyres, the reality is that there could be millions of vehicles in the UK at any one time with illegal tyres. We’re seeing this direct impact in the number of vehicles being identified with  unsafe tyres during their MOTs."