16 October 2023
Analysis by AA Smart Care* reveals that November will be the busiest month for MOTs in 2023 due a mixture of the spread of new vehicle registrations and legacy MOT deferrals due to the pandemic.
The UK’s fourth emergency service has dubbed it ‘Nutty November’ as drivers scramble for tests for the end of October and through November. The AA are advising drivers to book their slot early to ensure they keep their car on the road. AA Smart Care allows bookings up to a month in advance to help alleviate stress and worry about missing a MOT.
It comes as a poll by AA Smart Care found that a quarter (24%**) of drivers do not carry out any checks on their vehicle at all prior to the MOT. Conversely, around a third (36%) of drivers check the basics such as tyres and lights while more than one in 10 (12%) say they give their car a thorough investigation before handing the keys to the MOT centre.
“Cars on the roads are getting older, so it’s more important than ever to regularly check your vehicle throughout the year, and not just before its MOT.”
As many MOT failures are for simple to spot issues such as tyres and bulbs, these can be easily rectified before submitting the car. As well as keeping the cost of the test and repairs down, it also helps centres plan and test vehicles submitted to them. Recent DVSA data shows that 28% of all cars and vans fail their MOT***.
James Hosking, managing director for AA Smart Care, said; “The number of MOTs due this November is going to be incredibly high, so drivers should book early to avoid disappointment.
“With MOT centres already starting to fill their diaries for the coming weeks, the peak is set to hit throughout November as drivers were able to defer their MOT by six months during the pandemic.
“Cars on the roads are getting older, so it’s more important than ever to regularly check your vehicle throughout the year, and not just before its MOT. Keeping an eye on tyres and bulbs takes five minutes, but can save against a costly repair bill and spread the cost of vehicle maintenance across the year.”
** Yonder received 12,895 responses from AA members to its online poll between the 11th to 21st August 2023. Yonder is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
*** MOT testing data for Great Britain - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)