Nearly half of UK motorists don’t bother checking their cars for simple faults such as a blown bulb ahead of their annual MOT roadworthiness test.
That’s according to new data released by LV insurance following a survey it carried out into the UK’s attitude towards car maintenance. It follows stats by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) which show that cars are most likely to fail their yearly MOT test on a failed bulb.
Around a third of MOT tests are failed each year, with 30% of all faults related to lighting and signalling. One in 10 defects are tyre-related, while 8.5% are related to the ‘driver’s view of the road’, including dodgy wipers, smashed windscreens and broken mirrors.
“Most people rely on garages to check their vehicle once a year and in their mind, the MOT is a maintenance program, not a test,” explains mechanic Simon March, from Yorkshire.
“From my experience, the majority of motorists have complete apathy to car maintenance and a general lack of interest. I believe that car maintenance should be taught alongside learning to drive and be a bigger part of the test.”
Only 59% of car owners surveyed by LV say they would be confident enough to check that their headlights are working, while only 38% would be happy to change a tyre.
“Motorists should be able to check lights, tyres and levels as they are weekly checks as per the highway code but most people are frightened to have a go at maintenance and will not seek advice,” adds March.
Currently, all cars over three years old must pass an annual MOT test. Research by Kwik Fit has revealed that four million drivers admit to illegally driving a car on the road without a valid test.
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