The DVSA has confirmed that MOT testers who are currently rated red should not change how they are operating, as long as they know they are practising correctly.
Speaking at an Independent Garage Association (IGA) member event in Essington this week (13 March), Luke Miller of the DVSA confirmed what testers should do when analysing their scores.
He explained: “Don’t change your behaviour if you’re red.
“If you’re confident in what you are doing and can explain it, carry on.”
Consistency ratings
The rating is essentially derived from consistency; if garages and testers are doing anything differently, or the outcome of the tests differ from normality, this may prompt a change their red-amber-green (RAG) rating.
A red rating does not mean a member of the DVSA enforcement team has been alerted to visit a test station, but is designed to support testers and testing stations spot any anomalies and see if there is anything worth investigating internally.
Conversely, if you are currently – as a tester or test station – rated green or amber, it does not mean that any less diligence should be applied.
Green means you are testing consistently and have a previous exemplary record, but that does not mean that malpractice is not occurring.
MOT risk rating explained
- Red (higher risk): You must look into the reasons you’re rated as higher risk, and make sure you’re testing to the right standard and following all the right processes.
- Amber (medium risk): You should look into the reasons you’re rated as a medium risk, and check you’re testing to the right standard and following all the right processes.
- Green (lower risk): You should still check you’re testing to the right standard and following all the right processes.
As well as test timing, the results and number of tests completed by testers should be checked.
Testers’ ratings cannot be viewed by anyone other than the DVSA and the tester them self, therefore test managers should be aware of regularly looking at individuals behaviour to see whether any changes need to be made.
Should a testing station begin to change methods and see their VTS rating change to amber or red, that only means it has changed how it normally operates, it is not an indication of practices being incorrect or substandard.
Once a change has been made, it will take time for a rating to return to green again.
Updated MOT risk rating
The new MOT risk rating system, which aims to improve MOT quality and catch more fraudsters, was rolled out in November 2018.
Testing stations are now awarded either a red, amber or green rating based on analysis of tester data and the results of an improved site assessment.
The new site assessment focuses on compliance and the test itself, with DVSA examiners carrying out more checks on recently tested vehicles, while a ‘site review’ involves a shorter check on systems and processes in the garage.
Authorised examiners and site managers can use test quality reports for information on their testers’ testing profile.
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