Drivers remain committed to keeping their vehicles properly maintained through the coronavirus pandemic, with relatively few intending to make full use of the automatic six-month MOT extension, new research for RAC Approved Garages shows.
Just one-in-10 drivers (14%) surveyed say they will make full use of the extra six months added to MOT due dates, with three times that proportion (44%) planning on getting their car checked as normal despite the impact of the coronavirus.
Of those drivers who don’t plan on using the full MOT extension, half (52%) say it is because they want to ensure essential safety checks are made at the right time, while 40% are confident their cars are in good working order and want them to pass their MOTs as soon as possible.
But more than one-in-10 (16%) say their reason is that they are worried there will be a huge backlog of MOT tests as the lockdown is eased further, making it harder to book a test.
More concerningly, of those who do plan on making use of the full six-month MOT extension, an overwhelming 83% say it is because they are confident in the roadworthiness of their vehicle, highlighting a lack of awareness over what the annual test covers.
And of all the drivers surveyed, more than a quarter (27%) said they weren’t even aware of the MOT extension in the first place.
“Since the coronavirus lockdown took effect, hundreds of thousands of vehicles every month have been missing their normal MOTs and in turn there’s a risk that more unroadworthy cars are now on our roads, especially as many more of us are now driving compared to March,” comments Head of RAC Motoring Services Adam O’Neill.
“It’s encouraging therefore to see that a large proportion of people we surveyed clearly care about the condition of their cars and aren’t being put off from getting them through their MOTs or serviced as normal. But at the same time there understandably remains some drivers who are worried about how safe it is to visit a garage during the pandemic.
Hesitant drivers
The average UK car is driven more than 7,000 miles per year, according to the latest MOT data, however according to a survey of 2,000 motorists carried out by Hyundai, in the last four weeks the average distance travelled is just 90 miles, with 30% covering just 25 miles or less.
With so little driving, 18% say they have struggled to get back to normal behind the wheel of a car. Of those, 28% had stalled their car, 21% had scraped their wheels on the kerb and 21% forgotten to indicate.
Four in ten motorists said they hadn’t visited a filling station over the past 28 days, with 12% admitting that had forgotten which side or end they fill up or charge their car.
The survey, carried out by Hyundai, also revealed almost half (48%) of motorists are concerned that the standard of road users’ driving will be worse now restrictions have started to be lifted.
Roadworthy worries
However, the average usage of 90 miles and drivers being hesitant when getting back to the road highlights the need for vehicles to be safe and working well. Critical systems such as brakes need to be in good condition in case an emergency situation occurs, while tyres, lights and fluids need to be working and correct to counter mistakes made by wary drivers.
According to a Freedom of Information request made by MoneySupermarket.com, around three million MOTs have been extended since the end of March, and the Governenment is showing no signs of lifting the six-month extension.
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.
