RAC: 17% of ignored MOT advisories caused breakdowns or accidents
Government data shows that vehicle defects were a factor in 1,350 collisions in 2023
with 36 of these incidents involving at least one fatality
The RAC has found that 17% of drivers who ignored MOT advisories had a breakdown or ended up in a collision as a result.
44% of drivers who had recently put their vehicle through an MOT said that they received one or more advisories, 36% of those got the advisories repaired before they collected the car, while 11% delayed repairs for at least a month.
The remaining 39% said they did not plan to get all of the issues resolved.
Nick Mullender, mobile servicing and repairs team leader at the RAC, said: “The MOT is an annual occurrence for millions of drivers up and down the country, and serves as a vital check on a vehicle’s roadworthiness.
“While we all dread a failure, any advisories demand attention because they mean the vehicle isn’t in the best of health.
“Unfortunately, our research suggests there’s a lot of troubling ‘advisory apathy’ among drivers.”
The RAC found that the most common MOT advisories were for tyres (42%), brakes (34%), and suspension components (22%), while lights, which are reasonably easy to fix at home came fourth (16%), and corrosion, which can often be expensive and difficult to repair, was fifth (14%).
Government data shows that vehicle defects were a factor in 1,350 collisions in 2023, with 36 of these incidents involving at least one fatality.
Mullender said: “Advisories indicate the potential for the vehicle to become unroadworthy in a matter of months or even weeks, depending on the nature of the issue and how often the vehicle is driven.
“It’s crucial that drivers keep a close eye on any flagged items.
“We recommend drivers remove the guesswork altogether. Alongside frequent checks at home, it’s vital to get vehicles serviced at regular intervals, depending on what the manufacturer recommends.”
Online95 surveyed 1,440 drivers to collect the data for the survey, the responses were weighted to be representative of national driver demographics.
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