Automotive: Following the most convenient process for a UK MOT test

Using a vehicle can be an expensive affair if you are not planning for it properly. Through the pandemic, many people who previously owned multiple vehicles were finding that out because they were not using them for the most part. They had to pay for their insurance and their MOT (Ministry of Transport –  the UK government department that introduced the test in 1960 as a means of testing vehicle safety, exhaust emissions, and roadworthiness.) tests regularly, but when you aren’t using the vehicle, it seemed like a task to be paying to keep the cars at home.

In the UK, the MOT was a series of tests that vehicle owners have to get through if they plan on using their vehicles on the streets. The tests cover three varying aspects of the car, safety, roadworthiness, and the amount of pollution it causes if they were on the streets. There were other changes that the owners had to get through, but they could not use a vehicle on public roads if they did not have an MOT test. All vehicles above three years had to get through the MOT tests and checks.

Additionally, they had to get through them every year if they wanted to keep using their vehicles. While the tests were the same for the last several decades, some changes were made to them a couple of years back. Vehicles had a lot more technology and moving parts today than they did in the past, and most of these were not checked by the MOT, which was quite an issue. However, they decided that they would consider modern vehicles and find a way to get through the MOT and thoroughly review them.

That being the case, they started checking for airbag deployment and proper seat belt indicators, and so on, which would play a part in saving someone’s lives and assisting in making sure that the vehicle was in good condition. They would also review the lights which were aspects that were not given priority in the past. No matter what, all vehicles, whether cars, trucks or motorcycles had to get through their own version of the MOT test and they had to clear it if they were going to be used in the streets. People had to get an MOT test that would vary depending on the vehicle that they were using.

Changes made to the MOT because of the pandemic

To get through an MOT test, vehicle owners had to book an appointment which was quite a challenge in the past. However, they made some changes to allow them to get through these changes online which would save them time and assist with smoother coordination. People could

now find the nearest center and pick the most convenient time if they wanted to get through the process. They did not have to pick the nearest one and could pick one that was closer to their work if that would help

Some of the new additions that assisted with the process were that they could get their tests done on their behalf. There were rules that people who were traveling internationally or had recently been sick, could not get through the check. However, the change made was that some centers were sending people to your house to collect the vehicle on your behalf and take it to the center. They would then review the vehicle and send it back to the house at the end of the day and leave it there after sanitizing it. A lot of people were availing of the offer since they were getting someone else to work on the vehicle coordination and get through the process with ease.

Another significant change that was taking place was that they were no longer forcing people to get through the tests. At the peak of the pandemic, there were too many people falling sick, and most of the people in essential services were also in the line of fire. MOT offices were severely understaffed, and with the lockdowns and curfews, people were not particularly leaving their homes, so the authorities were open to allowing them to move the MOT tests for some time. People were allowed to move their tests for a couple of months and from June 2020 to October 2020, people could defer their MOT test by three months. However, after that was done, they had to get their certificates again if they wanted to use those vehicles on the road.

Getting through an MOT test online

With the online system, people could apply for an MOT test with ease. However, the best part of the system was not getting through the check but using the information in the future to not fail it. Every time there was a change made to the vehicle, the information would be added to the website and vehicle owners could access it with ease. They would be able to leverage this information and give the owners information about the aspects of their vehicle that they should repair. People were always advised to get a proper and thorough vehicle repair before they get through an MOT because they would receive a fine if their vehicle did not clear it, and they would have to get it for the test again which would just be an unnecessary task.

They could now even consider giving the vehicle to various mechanics and repair centers when they were getting them done. The details of your vehicle will always be added to the website, and each owner can review the specifics in time for their next MOT test or when they are taking it

for repair. It made the process much easier and allowed them to coordinate some of them with more information. They even had an amendment for people who were not planning on using their vehicle for a while, and they had to fill out the SORN form and keep them off the streets for a couple of years if that is what they were looking for. Vehicle owners could then get through the MOT when they were planning on bringing their vehicles out again. This was one of the steps that many vehicle owners went through during the pandemic because they did not want to be fixing and working through vehicles that were not going to be in the streets with the constant lockdowns and curfews. The same MOT websites could assist with getting through the SORN application process. Author: James Isaac