MOTs

MOT stands for ‘Ministry of Transport’, which, in 1960, introduced the annual safety tests for cars and other vehicles using public roads. Those first tests were pretty basic compared to today’s, but with seven thousand deaths on the roads each year, something had to be done. The test was known then as the ‘ten-year test’ as it applied only to vehicles over ten years old. The cost was fifteen shillings (75p).

The modern MOT takes 45-60 minutes as it covers so much, including lights, horn, wiring, steering, suspension, tyres, body condition, mirrors, emissions, windscreen…. the list goes on. Some drivers use this thoroughness as an alternative to regular maintenance inspections. Many drivers book a service and MOT together and some garages offer to do the MOT first, then repair anything that fails, followed by a free re-test.

There are some vehicles which are exempt from the MOT requirement, e.g. tractors, police cars and mobility scooters, but generally all vehicles over three years old (four in N.Ireland) are legally compelled to have a valid MOT. Without this, the vehicle cannot be driven on the road and you cannot buy its road tax. Ultimately, MOTs are invaluable in terms of the lives they save.

(Image: P.L. Chadwick at geograph.org.uk / CC BY-SA 2.0)