Opposition as shock report calls on ministers to scrap MOT test

The Independent Garage Association and National Franchised Dealers Association have strongly opposed a report published this week from The Adam Smith Institute which recommends the abolishment of the MOT test.

The report, which says the test is “outdated and unnecessary”, claims drivers would save £180 on average if the tests were no longer compulsory. It also says ministers should put more resources into developing driverless cars which could save lives by eliminating driver error.

The report’s author, Alex Hoagland, said: “The UK has required MOT testing for decades in order to prevent crashes and fatalities from unreliable vehicles. Nowadays, vehicles are safer than ever, leading some governments to re-inspect these programmes.

“When these safety inspections were done away with in some US states, accident rates did not change.

“There’s no evidence that vehicle safety inspections improve vehicle safety.”

Sam Dumitriu of the Adam Smith Institute added: “MOT tests are meant to prevent crashes and save lives, but they’ve never been put to the test themselves.”

As well as scrapping the MOT completely, the report suggested an another option would be to reduce it to once every three years, or applying it only to vehicles which are at least five years old.

It also urged ministers to put more resources into developing driverless cars, which could save lives by eliminating driver error.