One in five drivers fail DVSA check meaning car will be taken off road

One in five cars failed an MOT test under DVSA procedures and regulations after a ‘major’ problem was found in millions of vehicles up and down the UK.

One in FIVE drivers has failed a DVSA check meaning they face their car being OFF the road.One in five cars failed an MOT test under DVSA procedures and regulations after a ‘major’ problem was found in millions of vehicles up and down the UK.

43.7 million tests were conducted in 2023, data shows, and nearly 10 million failed the MOT inspection last year. RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “Vehicles can fail an MOT for more than 600 different reasons.

“Some of these might well be difficult for owners to spot ahead of time but what's concerning is that drivers are taking cars for a test with such obvious defects as missing brakes." He added: "This should be food for thought for those who suggest we don't need an annual roadworthiness check."

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Among the obscure reasons for some failures were a missing nearside front brake disc (31 tests), a steering lock inadvertently engaging (64 tests) and the spare wheel being likely to become detached (186 tests).

He added: "What's really worrying is how many people might be taking a chance by continuing to drive cars with potentially lethal faults just because their next MOT isn't yet due." RAC Foundation director Steve commented on the variety of reasons for MOT failures, stating: "Vehicles can fail an MOT for more than 600 different reasons."

Jessica Potts from BookMyGarage, warned: "While it's likely that your car will fail just because its dirty; excessive grime and debris could hinder the tester's ability to perform the inspection and therefore they could refuse to carry it out."

As soon as your car hits three years-old, it will need an MOT before its birthday each year. You can easily check when your MOT is due using your number plate on GOV.UK. You can undertake your MOT test up to a month (minus a day) before its expiry date while still preserving its annual due date.