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  "path": "/lifestyle/cars/mot-test-fines-driving-laws-roads",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-11T11:29:29.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Elderly driver asked to travel 175 miles by DVLA for eye test or risk losing licence - 'It's not fair'",
    "Chinese brand Jaecoo unveils new flagship model with 700-mile range after 'exceptional' launch",
    "AI road cameras that see inside cars to monitor drivers set for nationwide rollout this year",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nMillions of motorists across the UK have been found to be driving illegally because they have allowed their MOT certificates to lapse, according to fresh figures.\n\nResearch found roughly 16 per cent of vehicles are only brought in for examination once their certification has already expired.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThis meant approximately one in every six cars requiring the annual roadworthiness check is being tested too late, leaving drivers exposed to potential prosecution.\n\nKwik Fit, which conducts over one million MOT tests annually, analysed online booking data from the second half of 2025.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe findings indicated that more than 4.3 million vehicles requiring MOT certification were booked and examined after their deadline had passed during the previous year.\n\nWhile half of these late tests occurred within 10 days of the certificate expiring, a significant proportion were considerably more overdue.\n\nThe typical gap between an MOT running out and the vehicle being tested stood at 33.7 days on average.\n\nBeyond those who scheduled their appointments late, a further 1.7 million cars were examined after their MOT had lapsed despite owners having made bookings before the expiry date.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the latest DVSA statistics, more than a quarter of all vehicles, some 27 per cent, failed their MOT examination.\n\nApplying this failure rate to the millions of cars being driven without valid certification suggested that over 1.5 million of these vehicles would not meet roadworthiness standards.\n\nThese motorists are not only breaking the law but also potentially putting themselves and other road users in danger by operating vehicles with undetected faults, experts warned.\n\nThe legal consequences can also be severe, with drivers risking penalties of up to £1,000 for operating a vehicle without a current MOT certificate.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Elderly driver asked to travel 175 miles by DVLA for eye test or risk losing licence - 'It's not fair'\n  * Chinese brand Jaecoo unveils new flagship model with 700-mile range after 'exceptional' launch\n  * AI road cameras that see inside cars to monitor drivers set for nationwide rollout this year\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nGovernment guidance states that motorists cannot drive or park their vehicle on public roads once the MOT has expired, with prosecution a possibility for those caught doing so.\n\nDan Joyce, Kwik Fit's operations director who leads the company's MOT programme, acknowledged many motorists view the annual test as an inconvenience but stressed its vital role in keeping vehicles safe.\n\nHe said: \"The MOT test may sometimes feel like a chore for drivers, but it is essential in ensuring a car is safe and roadworthy. We all lead very busy lives, and it is all too easy for the MOT to slip down the to-do list.\"\n\nHe noted how booking early allows owners to arrange any necessary repairs without last-minute pressure should defects be identified during testing.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDrivers can also have their vehicle examined up to a month before expiry while retaining the same renewal date for subsequent years.\n\nMatt Crole-Rees, a motoring expert at Confused.com, emphasised how maintaining a valid MOT goes beyond mere legal compliance.\n\n\"Keeping on top of your MOT is about more than just following the law. The test exists to make sure a vehicle is safe to drive,\" he said.\n\nHe warned that problems with brakes, tyres, steering, or suspension are precisely the types of defects that the annual examination is designed to identify before they lead to breakdowns or collisions.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Motorists risk £1,000 fines as millions fail to meet 'essential' driving laws on roads"
}