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One in 10 cars on the road could be classified as having ‘dangerous defects’, according to analysis of the latest Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) data by BookMyGarage.

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show that defective tyres were a contributing factor in 17 fatal accidents in 2018 and caused a total of 459 accidents in the year.

Faulty brakes were also to blame for more than 500 accidents and 15 fatalities.

Karen Rothberg, managing director at BookMyGarage, said: “It was a sensible policy during lockdown, when vehicle use was limited, but the whole point of the MOT is to make sure dangerous vehicles are not on our roads for the sake of the driver, passengers and other road users.

“The Government is taking a serious safety risk now though and we urge motorists to take a common-sense view.”

Following the DVSA announcement that it is ending the MOT exemption on August 1, BookMyGarage said, “millions on could still be driving without a valid certificate until end of January 2021”.

Vehicles were granted the six-month exemption from MOT testing in March, to help slow the spread of the virus.

However, as the lockdown is gradually lifted, all cars, motorcycles or vans due a MOT test from August 1, will now be required to get a test certificate.

The RAC has warned that hundreds of thousands of vehicles due to be tested this summer could end up causing a backlog if drivers take advantage of the six-month extension.

BookMyGarage expects the average failure rate during 2020 to increase as a result of the exemption.

Testers classify failures as minor, major and dangerous defects, with one in three vehicles failing their MOT every day in normal conditions.

The most dangerous defect recorded by more than 65,000 MOT testers across the UK between July and September 2019 were tyres, which made up 58.1% of all dangerous defects recorded, followed by brakes (29.3%), suspension (5.5%), chassis (2.4%) and lights (2.0%).

Two-in five (40%) fleets have postponed non-essential service, maintenance and repair (SMR) work, during the coronavirus crisis, according to a Fleet News survey.

Five million fewer MOT tests carried out in April and May 2020 than in the same months last year, according to DVSA figures.

BookMyGarage is advising motorists not to risk ‘maxing out’ on the August 1 exemption if they can, and get their vehicles tested as soon as possible.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Vehicle thefts have risen to highest level in four years, as more than 150,000 cars, vans and motorcycles were reported as stolen in 2018-19.

It’s an increase of 10,000 vehicles when compared to the year before and a 56% (54,932) increase compared to four years earlier, according to data analysed by RAC Insurance.

All but three of the police forces that responded to a Freedom of Information request recorded an increase in the numbers of vehicles stolen in their force areas from 2014-15 and 2018-19.

The largest increases were recorded by Kent Police (up 12,550 to 40,726 thefts in 2018-19, a 45% increase), Metropolitan Police (up 9,635 to 30,773 thefts, a 46% increase) and West Midlands Police (up 5,677 to 10,372 thefts, a 121% increase).

Six forces recorded a more than doubling in the number of vehicles stolen between 2014-15 and 2018-19, with the biggest jumps in Suffolk (up 172% from 347 to 945 thefts), Surrey (up 133% from 661 to 1,543 thefts) and the West Midlands.

Only Lincolnshire, the City of London and Police Scotland recorded a reduction in thefts during this period, with reductions of 28, 29 and 473 thefts respectively.

Most police forces (32) also recorded a rise in vehicle thefts year-on-year, between 2017-18 and 2018-19. Kent, again, saw the largest rise, as well as the largest number of overall vehicles stolen in 2018-19 (up 2,575 to 40,726 thefts, 7% more than in 2017-18), followed by Essex (up 1,056 to 5,409 thefts, 24% more than in 2017-18) and the West Midlands (up 836 to 10,372 thefts, 9% more than 2017-18).

When looking at the biggest percentage increases over this 12 month period, Suffolk witnessed the highest jump with 44% more thefts (945 in 2018-19 compared to 655 a year earlier), followed by Bedfordshire (37% increase, from 1,056 to 1,445 thefts) and North Wales (32% increase, from 464 to 612 thefts).

RAC Insurance spokesperson Simon Williams said: “These figures paint a rather disturbing picture – vehicle thefts are on the rise almost everywhere, and in some parts of the country numbers are rocketing.

“It’s also not the case that the rises in crime are confined to a few larger urban areas, with many police forces covering more rural areas also seeing big increases.

“While vehicle crime is at far lower levels today than it was in the early 1990s, thanks to improvements in vehicle security, and the number of vehicles licensed to be driven on the UK’s roads is higher than at any point in the past, it’s still concerning that so many more vehicles are being stolen than just a few years ago.”

The average fleet loses around £16,000 per year as a result of vehicle or equipment theft, according to Verizon Connect.

Its research found that businesses have at least one vehicle stolen each year.

The average loss increases to nearly £50,000 for those businesses that have between 101-250 vehicles, as the number of vehicles stolen rises to three for businesses of this size.

Some of the increases in recent years can be put down to a rise in thefts of vehicles that are easier to steal, such as motorbikes and mopeds that are less likely to have immobilisers. Government data also shows that thieves generally use keys to access vehicles in around half of crimes, which suggests that drivers need to do more to keep their keys safe.

Tracker data suggests that nine out of 10 van thefts were performed using the keys.

In a fifth of cases (18% in 2018), thieves were able to access vehicles because they weren’t locked in the first place.

Company car drivers and fleets are being warned by Tracker to be wary of opportunistic criminals looking to steal cars to fill a replacement parts gap caused by COVID-19.

The stolen vehicle recovery company says that police across the country are already fighting an increase in ‘chop shops’ – where stolen vehicles are stripped down and expensive parts sold on. But, it argues, the lack of legitimate parts could increase their popularity and profitability still further. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

If you suffer from illnesses that could affect your ability to drive, you’re required by the DVLA to inform them.

However, while some might be quite obvious, the DVLA has a list of health conditions that you might be surprised to learn put you at risk of a £1,000 fine if you don’t declare them.

Car hire comparison site StressFreeCarRental has scoured the full list of conditions to find the less obvious ones you should know about…

Diabetes

If you have diabetes that is treated by insulin, and the insulin treatments last more than three months, you must inform the DVLA. This also applies to gestational diabetes, or if you are at risk of low blood sugar, known as hypoglycaemia.

Vertigo

While most people associate vertigo with being at height, this is specifically known as ‘height vertigo’. Regular vertigo sufferers can get attacks anywhere, making it feel like the world around them is spinning. If you suffer from sudden, disabling, or recurrent vertigo you must tell the DVLA.

Déjà vu

This is something mostly written off as an odd feeling that you’ve been somewhere before, but it can be much more serious. The DVLA must be informed if you suffer from seizures or epilepsy that cause déjà vu.

Sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition that causes the throat to relax and narrow during sleep, which can cause difficulty breathing. It’s one of a number of sleeping disorders that the DVLA must be told about, including narcolepsy and cataplexy.

Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis has nothing to do with mazes, it’s actually an inner ear condition that causes dizziness, nausea and loss of hearing. Since all of these things could affect your ability to drive, you must inform the DVLA if you have it.

Heart palpitations

This condition results in the sufferer becoming more aware of their heartbeat, which may feel like it’s pounding or fluttering, or perhaps beating irregularly. While the NHS says they are usually not a sign of something serious, the DVLA requires you to declare if you regularly suffer from them.

By Graham Hill thanks to AOL Cars

What is the minimum vision standard required to drive on UK roads? And how can you check your own eyesight before driving?

Your eyes are obviously a crucial tool for driving a car safely, and the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency) lays down detailed rules describing the standards of vision required for driving a car in the UK.

Drivers have their vision checked when they take their driving test, but from that point on, it’s the responsibility of individual drivers to report any problems that develop with their eyesight to the DVLA.

You should NOT drive a car if you believe that your eyesight may fall below the required standard. If you need to confirm that your eyesight is up to standard, visit an optician, and definitely do not drive there, no matter how far.

Standards of vision required for driving

The basic eyesight standard required for driving is simple. To drive a car legally in the UK you must be able to read a car number plate from a distance of 20 metres.

If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses for driving, you should be wearing them when you attempt to read the number plate, and the number plate should be of the current design that’s been standard on UK cars since September 2001.

In addition to this basic requirement, you must have a visual acuity measurement of at least 6/12 (or 0.5) on the Snellen scale, again while wearing any glasses or contact lenses that you need for driving.

While this sounds ominous, if you’ve visited an optician, the Snellen scale will be familiar to you as the wall chart with the rows of letters or numbers that get smaller as you read down. This chart is used to measure visual acuity, your central vision that you use to see detail.

Normal visual acuity is called 6/6, which means that from 6 metres away (the first number) you can read all 6 lines of the chart. Someone who could only read the first line of the chart would receive a rating of 6/60 which means that from 6 metres they could only read what someone with normal vision could read from 60 metres away.

If the second line of the chart is the ‘36’ line, someone with standard vision could read it from 36 metres, but if your Snellen score was 6/36 you would only be able to read it from 6 metres.

The 6/12 minimum vision standard for driving a car in the UK means that you can read from 6 metres what someone with standard vision could read from 12. This is half the distance, hence the conversion to the decimal 0.5.

Driving test eyesight check

Before your practical driving test, the examiner will test your eyesight by asking you to read the number plate of a parked vehicle that’s 20 metres away. If you can’t do this, then your test is immediately over and you will not be permitted to drive the car. Your provisional driving licence will also be revoked.

If you reapply for your driving licence, the DVLA will ask you to take a full eye test with the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) which will take place at a local driving test centre. You’ll have to pass this before you get your licence back and then pass the number plate eye test before you take your practical driving test.

Online driving eyesight tests

There are a number of online driving eyesight tests that you can find on the Internet that may give you some idea if there is a problem with your eyesight.

However, these have no diagnostic value and should not be taken as the only indication of whether you’re safe to drive.

A better course of action is to test yourself by trying to read a car number plate from 20 metres and contacting your doctor and the DVLA if you struggle to do so.

What if there’s a problem with your eyesight?

There is no mandatory retesting of driver’s eyesight in the UK, and it is the driver’s responsibility to report any deterioration in their eyesight to the DVLA.

If you believe that your eyesight has diminished to the point that you are no longer safe to drive, or if you have any concerns that this could be the case, you should not drive a car. See a doctor and have your eyesight evaluated before getting behind the wheel.

If you do not tell the DVLA about any medical condition that affects your driving, you could be liable for a fine of up to £1,000 and you could be prosecuted if you are involved in an accident.

The DVLA publishes a list of health conditions that can affect your driving that may be useful to check whether you need to contact them. If there’s any doubt, however, contact your doctor before driving.

Eyesight tests for HGV and bus drivers

The eyesight standards required to drive an HGV or a bus in the UK are more stringent than for cars. To get your HGV licence, you must have a visual acuity of at least 6/7.5 (or 0.8) on the Snellen scale in your best eye. Your worst eye must be at least 6/60 (or 0.1).

If you take the test wearing glasses, their corrective power can’t be more than 8 dioptres and you must have an uninterrupted visual field of at least 160 degrees. This field of vision must include an extension of at least 70 degrees left and right plus at least 30 degrees down.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by MoneySuperMarket has revealed that more than 3m (3,025,345) cars and vans had their MOT extended since March 30.

 

Broken down by EU class, that is 2,788,594 passenger vehicles and 236,751 light goods up to 3000kg – roughly 65,000 cars per day. MoneySuperMarket predicts there could be another 1m cars with MOT extensions by June 1.

 

MOTs are automatically being extended by six months if it was due to expire on or after March 30 and if its eligible. However, it has recently been updated on May 27, that a MOT extension will no longer apply if you take your vehicle for a MOT and it fails. Your vehicle will need to be fixed and pass its MOT before you can use it again.

 

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) highlights that safety remains its top priority and drivers are at risk of prosecution if found to be driving unsafe vehicles. Vehicles must be kept in a roadworthy condition and garages remain open for essential repair work.

 

Car servicing and repair company, Kwik Fit, has said it expects to see a significant demand in MOT requests post the six-month extension period, as current trends suggest that most drivers will wait until the MOT extension is over before arranging for their MOT to be completed.

 

As a result, there will be a significant demand for MOT tests in October, November and towards the end of 2020, putting pressure on capacity, the company says.

 

According to statistics provided by MoneySuperMarket, of all MOTs due this year, 18% were due in April and May. Data based on drivers using the MoneySuperMarket car monitor, showed that October is expected to be the busiest month as 15% of all MOTs are due in within the month.

 

However, Kwik Fit says it is taking measures to increasing capacity at more than 500 MOT test centres across the UK and would encourage drivers to book the MOT in advance of the extended due date, especially if the vehicle is being used more regularly during that time.

 

Kwik Fit estimates that 25% of fleet drivers who could have deferred their MOT have still had a test on their vehicle. However, most drivers it would have expected during the weeks since the introduction of the MOT extension have chosen not to visit, due to the restrictions in place for lockdown.

 

New research by Kwik Fit also revealed that almost 1.1 million unroadworthy vehicles are set to return to the roads as lockdown begins to ease. An estimated 1,096,000 vehicles which would have received a six-month extension, would have failed a test with dangerous or major defects had they undergone a MOT.

 

Dan Joyce, fleet director at Kwik Fit, said: “Of the fleet vehicles which received an automatic extension, our experience tells us that around one in five would have failed a test if they had received one.

 

“Therefore, our on-going message to drivers whom have been using their vehicle or will now start to use their vehicle again whilst lockdown restriction are eased over the coming weeks and months, is to consider the roadworthiness and general condition of the vehicle prior to using it again more regularly.”

 

Kwik Fit have continued to offer MOT slots throughout its network during the MOT extension period and says that although volumes have significantly reduced during this time, it has seen some demand for MOT’s from key workers and people using their vehicles to continue with essential journeys during lockdown.

 

Three quarters of a million MOT tests still carried out in April

But despite the MOT extension, three quarters of a million tests were still carried out in April, figures from Motorway.co.uk have revealed.

 

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) made by the car selling comparison website showed that 746,157 MOTs were carried out in April 2020, down 80% on March 2020 – where 3,723,524 motorists took their vehicles for a MOT.

 

Perth in Central Scotland saw the biggest drop in MOTs last month, with tests down 85.7%, in comparison to March. Inverness saw 85.6% fewer MOTs in April, than in March.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More than 20,000 motorists in the Birmingham area (21,324) took their vehicles for a MOT in April, and 18,170 tests were carried out by garages in the ‘S’ postcode area (Sheffield) last month.

 

 

 

 

 

Alex Buttle, director at Motorway.co.uk, said: “These figures from the DVSA show that despite motorists having the opportunity to postpone their MOT test, many have chosen not to do so. There could be several reasons why; with general car maintenance, ongoing value and safety issues likely at the forefront of many drivers’ minds.

 

“Saying that, the number of MOTs in April was still substantially lower than March figures, and we expect to see a similarly low level of testing in May, as lockdown restrictions have only been eased slightly this month.”

 

Automotive aftermarket ready to deal with MOT demand when 6-month exemption is lifted

New automotive aftermarket sector-specific guidance to ‘keep millions of vehicles roadworthy’ has been published by the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF), Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA) and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

 

The UK automotive aftermarket sector has signalled its readiness to cope with increased demand for MOT tests, service, maintenance and repair with the publication of Covid-19: Industry Guidance and Best Practice for Automotive Aftermarket.

 

Although workshops have been allowed to stay open throughout the lockdown, helping to keep vehicles roadworthy for essential journeys, guidance will help companies of all types and sizes in the aftermarket operate safely while minimising the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

 

Mike Hawes, chief executive at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “It is timely that the aftermarket can assure customers and colleagues that it is ready to re-open safely to ensure workers’ vehicles remain roadworthy.”

 

The best-practice guidance covers the entire aftermarket sector, including workshops, warehouses, mobile operations and parts distributors and covers every aspect of their operations, from clear communications with customers and colleagues to social distancing, sanitisation and hygiene, and collection/delivery of vehicles from vulnerable owners.

 

It is designed to complement government advice and help the aftermarket sector demonstrate safe practices for employees and customers across all points of interaction. It comes as vehicle mileages start to climb and the sector calls for an end to the six-month MOT extension.

 

Hawes said: “With government advice stating that workers should avoid public transport when returning to work, the use of private cars is likely to rise more sharply than it already has over recent weeks. Given many of these vehicles have been idle for weeks, a reconsideration of the six-month MOT extension needs to be made as soon as possible.”

 

The vital role of the aftermarket sector in supporting safe mobility of the UK workforce has been underlined as the IMI echoes the SMMT call for the six-month exemption to be scrapped.

 

Steve Nash, chief executive officer at the Institute of the Motor Industry, said: “There are serious risks in the extension remaining in place now. If vehicles are coming back onto the roads in volume it is vital for all road users’ safety that they are roadworthy.

 

“The other issue is that if all motorists wait up to six months from when their MOT expired to get their vehicle tested, there is going to be a big backlog of tests in the Autumn and Winter which could significantly overwhelm the sector. That’s without considering the likelihood of the market shrinking because many businesses are unlikely to be able to survive without work coming in.

 

“The SMMT’s proposal to scrap the extension makes a lot of sense for road safety and will be a vital boost for a currently beleaguered sector.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

• DVLA has recorded a 20% rise in the number of scams reported
• These are all cons linked to DVLA services, such as vehicle taxation
• Some 1,538 fraud cases were raised to the agency in the final 3 months of 2019
• It provided examples of common scams that have been used in recent months

 

Motorists are being targeted by fraudsters using a range of different scam tactics in a bid to trick them into handing over money.

 

That’s according to a fresh warning by the DVLA last February, which has provided examples of scams it has been alerted to and traced in recent months.

 

There has been a 20 per cent rise in fraud attempts handed to the DVLA, with 1,538 reports made to agency in the last three months of 2019, new figures show.

 

Car owners have alerted the DVLA to a number of different con tactics being employed by scam artists.

 

Motorists have said they have been swindled out of money and targeted by fraudsters using fake DVLA websites, emails, texts and social media messages.

 

It has warned drivers that these are becoming more prominent, having received 1,275 scam reports in the final three months of 2018 – some 263 fewer than in the final quarter of last year.

 

To raise awareness of the types of fraudulent communication motorists might receive, the DVLA has released images of recent scams it has been alerted to.

 

It hopes this will help motorists be aware of what to look out for and issue a clear warning that if something offered online or by text message appears too good to be true, then it almost certainly is.

 

Scammers are targeting unsuspecting customers with links to services that don’t exist and messages of tax refunds, all of which are fake.

 

The reports also show that driver and vehicle documents are for sale on the internet.

 

The agency says anyone who is concerned about any calls, texts, emails or suspicious activity online, to always report these to the police via Action Fraud immediately.

 

DVLA chief information security officer David Pope said: ‘We’ve released examples of real life scams to help motorists understand when a scam is at work.

 

‘These websites and messages are designed to trick people into believing they can access services that simply don’t exist such as removing penalty points from driving licences.

 

‘All our tax refunds are generated automatically after a motorist has told us they have sold, scrapped or transferred their vehicle to someone else so we don’t ask for anyone to get in touch with us to claim their refund.

 

‘We want to protect the public and if something seems too good to be true, then it almost certainly is. The only trusted source of DVLA information is GOV.UK.

 

‘It is also important to remember never to share images on social media that contain personal information, such as your driving licence and vehicle documents.’

 

A spokesperson for Action Fraud added: ‘This can be a stressful time of year, sorting out finances for the year ahead. Fraudsters are aware of this and are using different ways to trick people.

 

‘Taking a couple of minutes to familiarise yourself with a few simple online safety tips can be significant in protecting yourself from becoming a victim of online fraud.

 

‘You should always be cautious when sharing personal information online and avoid being scammed by only using GOV.UK for government services online, such as the DVLA.

 

‘If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, please report it to us.’

 

Note: If you want to see the sample emails being sent out go to the original article by clicking here:

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-8037209/DVLA-says-cons-used-fraudsters-trick-motorists-handing-money.html

 

By Graham Hill thanks to This Is Money

DriveTech is helping to fill the gap with online speed awareness courses after a classroom-based option was halted due to coronavirus.

 

Having reconfigured course delivery online via the Microsoft Teams platform, it has delivered classes to 22,000 motorists helping them avoid a police prosecution.

 

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Roads Policing suspended classroom-based speed awareness courses for 12 weeks in March.

 

More than 1.2 million drivers attended a speed awareness course last year. The courses usually cost between £80 and £100, but motorists avoid paying a Fixed Penalty Notice or picking up penalty points on their driving licence.

 

DriveTech, which works in partnership with police and UKROEd, had to move rapidly to rebook around 50,000 classroom delegates bookings prior to the lockdown, to avoid motorists facing the alternative of prosecution, points and fines.

 

With revised digital course content needed, and DriveTech’s body of 175 trainers needing upskilling to deliver the virtual online experience, it says that the challenge was considerable.

 

Five weeks on from the first day of digital course delivery on March 27 (a week after lockdown measures affected venue participation), DriveTech says it is delighted that online course capacity is now matching the former levels of classroom supply.

 

Des Morrison, director of police business at DriveTech, said: “We reflect now on a pretty hectic few weeks, but it is satisfying to now see our digital delivery performing well and with some excellent customer feedback – both from our police force customers, delighted by our professional response in a crisis, and delegates.”

 

DriveTech is now delivering the three mainstream courses digitally – National Speed Awareness, National Motorway Speed Awareness, and What’s Driving you? and delegate feedback, as measured by Net Promoter Scores (NPS) has been at world class levels, it says.

 

In addition to placing the first priority on satisfying a backlog of delegates already booked onto a venue-based course, DriveTech is now taking bookings for new delegates from across the country.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The number of vehicles requiring recovery due to pothole damage has increased rapidly according to the RAC.

 

It rescued almost 3,500 motorists with pothole damaged cars in the first quarter of 2020, an increase of 64% on Q4 2019.

 

The number of cars damaged by potholes requiring recovery, between January and March, is 4.5% higher than in the same period last year, despite the Coronavirus lockdown reducing the number of vehicles on the road in the last nine days of the March.

 

Breakdowns resulting from damaged shock absorbers, broken springs and distorted wheels – that are most likely to be attributable to poor road surfaces – made up 1.6% of all the RAC’s call-outs for its individual members.

 

This was considerably up on Q4 2019 when the figure stood at 0.9% and marginally up on the same period a year ago – 1.5%.

 

The RAC’s Pothole Index suggests the overall standard of the roads has improved a little as the Index currently stands at 1.6, down from 2.3 in the same period last year and slightly down on Q4 2019 (1.7).

 

This does mean however that drivers are still 1.6 times more likely to break down as a result of pothole-related damage than they were back in 2006 when the RAC first started collecting data.

 

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “The jump in pothole-related breakdowns from the last three months of the year to the first quarter of the next year is always the largest as winter weather has the greatest effect of all in wearing down our roads.

 

“Many parts of the country suffered very wet weather conditions throughout February. It’s still likely that the storms and floods were major factors in why the number of pothole-related breakdowns was higher than the same period last year.

 

“In his Budget in March, the Chancellor committed to funding our local roads and it is clear that the economic recovery as the UK emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic will need to be built on solid infrastructure – which of course needs to include good quality roads.

 

“Moreover, it will also be interesting to see if lower traffic volumes during the UK’s lockdown will help prevent further deterioration of roads as fewer wheels going over weaknesses in the asphalt should contribute to less surface wear.”  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) issued guidance towards the end of last month that a car, van or motorcycle’s MOT expiry date could be extended by six months if it was due on or after March 30.

 

The DVSA currently carries out 30 million MOTs a year through 23,000 test centres. But, with all this summer’s MOTs effectively being pushed back into the autumn/winter period, that could put unprecedented pressure on the system and leave drivers scrambling to find MOT slots.

 

Terry Hiles, general manager at Licence Check which is now part of the Ebbon-Dacs Group, said: “The six-month MOT extension raises concerns about the potential backlog of tests that will need to be carried out later this year.

 

“Centres will be twice as busy as normal during the autumn/winter period as 12 months’ demand will be effectively shoehorned into a six-month time frame.

 

“Employers will need to have in place robust systems in place to ensure MOTs are carried out on the new dates rather than the regular anniversary date that they may have become accustomed to.

 

“So MOT reminders and alerts to drivers will be vitally important.

 

“MOTs will need to be attended to once lockdown ends and many drivers may need a prompt to help them remember the new expiration date.

 

“One option could be to sign with the .gov.uk website for its text message reminder service so that drivers are sent reminders of their new date.”

 

Currently, some 10% of vehicles fail an MOT due to defective brakes, 13% for suspension faults and 8% for illegal tyres.

 

With a percentage of the nation’s cars not being MOT’d for a further six months, the chances of some of them being driven in an unroadworthy state could rise dramatically.

 

Drivers could face fines of up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get three penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition, regardless of whether they are being operated under a six-month MOT extension or not.

 

The DVSA’s official guidance on its website says that insurance will still be valid, that drivers can still tax their vehicle and the vehicle’s record will be updated so the police can see they have a valid MOT during the six-month extension.

 

But insurance cover is likely to be invalidated if the vehicle is driven in a dangerous or defective state and the emphasis is on drivers to keep their vehicles in a roadworthy condition.

 

The DVSA advice is to take your vehicle to be repaired at the nearest open garage if it’s unsafe. These are allowed to stay open during the Coronavirus outbreak.

 

Licence Check said this uncertainty puts the onus on employers, especially those with large numbers of grey fleet drivers who use their own vehicles on company business, to have in place robust systems to ensure that vital checks are being carried out,  such as MOTs, as soon as possible once lockdown is over to ensure continuing compliance. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Drivers are being urged to slow down during the lockdown after Greater Manchester Police said it has caught 6,200 drivers breaking the speed limit since Monday, March 23.

 

With all non-essential travel currently banned under Government guidance, the majority of people are staying at home and if they need to go out, they are sticking to the speed limits.

 

Department for Transport (DfT) data shows motor vehicle use in Great Britain has fallen by two thirds over the past month.

 

However, Greater Manchester Police has seen an 57% increase in vehicles travelling above the speed limit over the past few weeks and other forces have reported similar problems.

 

One driver was recorded at 115mph on a 40mph road in Greater Manchester, while another was clocked at 134mph in a 40mph limit in London.

 

Superintendent Julie Ellison from GMP’s Specialist Operations Team said: “Sadly we have seen a huge increase in speeding offences and numerous examples of drivers who are putting their own lives and others at risk.

 

“My officers are working tirelessly to track down these offenders who are using the quieter roads as their own personal racetrack.”

 

Scottish police reported a man was recorded travelling at more than 130mph on the A90 between Peterhead and Ellon, Aberdeenshire, on April 12, while a driver was stopped in Sudbury, Suffolk, travelling at 80mph in a 30mph limit with no insurance and no driving licence.

 

Police in Wales, meanwhile, have seen speeds of 114mph in a 70mph limit on the A55 in Rhuallt Hill, another at 105mph in a 60mph limit on the A5 in Halton, Wrexham, and a third at 104mph in a 70mph limit on the A48 in Pensarn, Carmarthen.

 

Nick Lloyd, head of road safety at RoSPA, said: “We’re alarmed by the latest reports of speeding across the UK, and the reckless disregard with which some drivers treat the rules of the road just because they are more quiet than usual.

 

“Excessive speed at any time is dangerous, and you put other people, as well as yourself, at risk of death or serious injury. Please don’t be selfish, and stick to the limit – it’s there for a reason.”

 

Lloyd says that drivers also need to be extra vigilant given the lockdown.

 

“There are currently more children, pedestrians and cyclists out and about for their daily exercise, all throughout the day,” he said.

 

“Additionally, if you cause a crash, you will be putting frontline resources and health professionals under needless strain at a time when they should be dealing with getting the pandemic under control.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News