The MOT test was introduced in 1960, when traffic was increasing exponentially year on year, and many vehicles on the road were in poor condition: belching thick black exhaust fumes and interfering with visibility, breaking down unexpectedly, and not having functional brake lights to warn drivers following that they are slowing down or stopping. The very first MOT was optional and aimed at vehicles over ten years old: and more than half of the vehicles tested failed the fairly rudimentary check, which looked only at the vehicles, brakes, steering and lights.

The MOT Guide – How Roadworthy are You?

The Modern MOT

Today, your MOT is an annual event and every vehicle must have an MOT after their third birthday (four years in Ireland). The scope of the test has expanded to almost thirty items, and the list is constantly being upgraded, with correct tyre inflation the most recent addition to the list. Despite the vast increase in the checklist, the basic purpose of the MOT remains the same as it was in 1960: to ensure the roadworthiness of all the cars on the UK’s roads.

What Does Roadworthy Mean?

Roadworthiness is not, surprisingly, ensuring that your vehicle’s engine is in good condition: your car could pass its MOT and breakdown within days or even hours. Roadworthiness instead refers to being safe on the road despite any issues you might face.

This includes:
Having safe levels of emissions, so as not to cause harm to other road users,
Having working lights in the appropriate parts of your car, so other road users can see you and take evasive action if necessary,
Being as safe as possible while driving: good visibility all around with no obstructions or distortions,
Being able to steer your vehicle safely to the side of the road should you break down, and once there stop the car in a place where you and other road users will not be endangered while you wait for assistance.

Almost all the twenty-odd items on the checklist have these aims in mind, and they will all help to keep you safe in the event of an unexpected failure in your vehicle’s engine.

How to Get Ready for Your MOT

The full checklist is freely available online. Why not print it out and go through as many of the items as you can, seeing if there are small, perhaps even seemingly cosmetic, changes that you can make that will tip your inspector towards a passing rating. The price of MOTs is set by law and you cannot be charged more than the £54.85 set by government, although many garages offer cheaper MOTs, especially if they are bundled with a service. Make sure to opt for an easy to book service, we recommend booking your MOT test with a few quick and easy steps at Elite Direct London, a credible state of the art garage offering amazing prices and quality service. We guarantee that you will not regret your choice.

Disclosure – this is a collaborative post