One in 10 drivers that received a six-month MOT extension for their car during the first coronavirus lockdown are unaware when this expires, according to new data.

Comparison site Gocompare – which undertook the survey – says 13 per cent of drivers can’t remember when their car is due its MOT.

Eight per cent of drivers polled also said they were also worried about the Covid infection risk from attending a garage.

Survey follows recent research by Kwik Fit, which estimated that up to two million cars could be on the road without a valid MOT.

Gocompare also found the majority – 58 per cent – of motorists get stressed about putting their car through its MOT.

The cost of potential repairs causes the most sleepless nights (22 per cent), while a fifth are concerned about being “ripped-off”.

Related: Two million cars given COVID exemption now have expired MOT

Lee Griffin, CEO of Gocompare said: “If your car’s MOT has expired, it’s illegal to drive it on the road and you could be prosecuted for doing so.

“The only exception allowed would be if you’d already booked an MOT and were driving to the test, which you would have to prove to the police.

“The penalty for driving a car without a valid MOT is a fine of up to £1,000. If the car is found to have a dangerous fault, the penalty rises to £2,500 and three penalty points for ‘using a vehicle in a dangerous condition’.

“Drivers caught without an up-to-date MOT also risk invalidating their car insurance.”

Related: DVSA calls on public to help combat MOT fraud

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