The Coronavirus outbreak is causing all kinds of chaos in the UK and around the world right now in just about all walks of life. In addition to the obvious public health and economic issues, the pandemic is creating a wide range of problems in different areas with motoring being just one of the affected industries.

MOTs During the Outbreak

One common question that arose in the wake of the Government’s announcement of a lockdown on the 23rd of March was what would happen to those that had a vehicle that was due an MOT. An MOT test is a crucial and legally-required annual test to determine a car’s safety and roadworthiness and every motorist needs to have a valid MOT in order to legally drive a car, motorbike or van. 

Problematic for Those Due

This clearly created a huge problem for those that had an expiry date following the Government lockdown because people are encouraged to stay at home and self-isolate and only leave the home when necessary. While the Government is allowing MOT centres and garages to remain open, it is a risk that many people will not feel comfortable taking.

Six-Month Extension Announced

This is why the government announced shortly after the lockdown that motorists that had an MOT due from Monday the 30th of March onwards would be granted a six-month extension in light of the Coronavirus outbreak.

This extension will be applied automatically, but it is important for motorists to try to keep their vehicle in roadworthy condition and damaged vehicles should either be taken to a garage or not driven during this time. Additionally, it is still important for motorists to abide by the lockdown restrictions, including travel only when necessary (for food, work or exercise).

Mark Cooper, Head of Product – Bike at Carole Nash, said:

“It is important for drivers and motorcyclists to be aware of these changes to MOT due dates and to also ensure that whether their vehicle has recently been MOT tested or not, they are still completing the advised checks to ensure it is roadworthy.”

He went on to say, “While it can be tempting to get out on the roads when the weather is pleasant, limiting journeys to only those that are essential is advised at this time.”

When You Need to Visit a Centre

You can check the new MOT date for your vehicle on the Government website, but this might take some time to update. If your first MOT was due before March 30th and your vehicle did not pass then you will not receive the extension and you will need to pass before you can use the vehicle again. This means that those that need to use a vehicle for essential travel will need to visit an MOT centre.

Insurance

It is also important to make sure that your vehicle remains insured if you plan on driving during the outbreak. For motorcyclists, you can use specialists like Carole Nash to obtain adequate cover but it is still recommended to only use the vehicle when essential.

The Coronavirus is creating all kinds of issues in the UK and people have a lot of questions and concerns in addition to the health and economic difficulties. Vehicle MOTs has been one of the most common concerns and hopefully this post will clarify any concerns that you might have.