Almost 150 drivers a day are missing their MOT test deadline, new research from What Car? has revealed.
It found that 210,886 drivers were caught by the UK’s police forces between 2015 and 2018 for driving without a valid MOT certificate.
Police Scotland caught 55,000 drivers in the four-year period – an average of 37 drivers fined every day.
The Metropolitan Police in London caught the second highest number of drivers, with 40,462 fined, while West Yorkshire recorded the third highest at 12,022.
Last year, more than a third of all cars failed their initial MOT, with 9.2 per cent failing due to dodgy brakes, while another 19 per cent failed from either faulty suspension or illegal tyres.
Road accidents involving vehicle defects
In 2017, vehicle defects, including illegal tyres, defective brakes and missing mirrors were a contributing factor in 1539 road accidents which required police attendance.
Rachel Prasher, managing director of What Car?, said: “It’s worrying to see 144 drivers a day caught in the UK without a valid MOT certificate.
“The onus is always on the driver to ensure their vehicle meets the legal roadworthiness requirements, but a friendly reminder from a dealer that their MOT is due could help prevent an accident on our roads.”
The research also found drivers are more likely to fail to renew their MOT in the winter months from November to February, than in the summer between May and August.
The winter months saw 17.3 per cent more drivers on average fined for not having a valid MOT certificate.
Driving without an MOT will result in either a £100 non-endorsable fixed penalty notice, or a traffic offence report.
Accumulatively, police forces across the UK have earned £20.8 million from drivers without a valid MOT certificate in the last four years.
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