Being a vehicle owner in the United Kingdom means that you must be familiar with the term MOT test. This is simple yet an annual requirement that is part of vehicle ownership in the United Kingdom. If your vehicle is older than 3 years, then it is mandatory for you to get your vehicle tested. The main purpose of getting the MOT of your vehicle done is to ensure that it is safe to drive and that your vehicle won’t harm the environment. But many would just see this test as nothing more than a legal obligation and would ignore getting it done. But, this test can be the difference between having a safe vehicle and one which would provide you with a safe driving experience. Through this blog, we will help you understand why this test is so crucial for your safety as well as the safety of other road users. We would also help you know why skipping this could be dangerous for your vehicle. So, let’s start with the blog by firstly understanding the purpose of MOT.
What Is MOT’s Purpose?
MOT stands for Ministry of Transport test, which is conducted to ensure that the vehicles which are being driven on the roads of the United Kingdom meet the minimum safety and environmental standards. The test was introduced in the 1960s, and since then, a lot of changes have been made. These changes include the list of components that would be examined in this to ensure that your vehicle is safe to drive. This includes inspection of brakes, tyres, lights, exhaust emissions, seatbelts, suspension, steering, and more. The reason why this test is a big help in making your vehicle safer is that even a small issue like a worn-out tyre or a faulty brake light can be identified through this test, and you won’t pass the test until all these safety-related issues are resolved. A thorough check of your vehicle is done during the MOT Test Warwick to ensure that your vehicle meets all the safety standards set by the United Kingdom government.
Dangers of Skipping MOT
There are a few dangers that would come with skipping the annual MOT of your vehicle. Yes, your car might seem completely fine to you, but there are issues which could only be identified by a mechanic, and not by your naked eyes. So, if you are skipping the MOT for your vehicle, then you will be missing out on the small, unnoticed problems which could be solved at an early stage, and you could stop them from becoming big ones. Some examples of this are:
- If you are ignoring your vehicle's MOT, then a small issue with your braking system, like a worn-out brake pad, could become the reason for a complete breakdown of the braking system.
- If there is a small engine oil leak, then it could become the reason for a severe issue with the engine if left unchecked.
- If your car's tyre's tread depth is closer to the legal limit, and you are driving at high speed because you don’t know that it could be the reason for a sudden tyre burst, which could be quite dangerous if driving at high speeds.
If you don’t understand the issues caused to the safety, then you should know that this could be the reason for you getting expensive repairs done to your vehicle. So, saving money is another benefit apart from safety that you could take the benefit of by getting your vehicle’s MOT done on time.
Safety Checks Done in MOT
Here are some of the basic safety-related checks done by the examiner when testing your vehicle:
- The braking system of your vehicle is checked to ensure that your vehicle will stop effectively and evenly.
- The lights and indicators of the vehicle are also checked to ensure that they are functioning and are positioned properly. You could check the lights beforehand to make sure that they don’t become the reason for you failing the test.
- Tyres are also checked on parameters like depth, condition, and pressure of the tyres. And it does not end here; the balancing and alignment of the wheels are also checked. So, to ensure that the tyres don’t become the reason for your vehicle failing the test, getting simple services like Wheel Balancing Warwick and wheel alignment done could be quite helpful for you.
Conclusion
In the end, all we can say is that getting your vehicle’s MOT done on time and ensuring that you are not missing this yearly test, you could have a vehicle which is completely safe. The test would help identify any kind of small issues with it and resolve them at an early stage. So if you want to have the benefit of a safe and secure driving experience, then make sure to get your vehicle’s test done on time.