A new study examining MOT tests and outcomes has revealed the areas in the UK least likely to pass.
Analysing 118 postcode areas in the UK, the data – presented by A-Plan insurance – identified the Scottish town of Kirkcaldy as having the lowest pass rates, at 72.9%. Here, drivers are 14% less likely to pass an MOT than in the London Borough of Enfield, the area with the highest percentage pass rates at 87.04%.
Dundee and Truro were ranked second and third worst respectively. The fourth largest city in Scotland, Dundee has a pass rate of 74%. Almost twice as likely to fail than drivers in Enfield, Truro averages at 74.5%.
Plymouth is ranked as the fourth least likely area to pass an MOT, averaging 74.8%. Meanwhile, Aberdeen has a pass rate of 75.9%, with Exeter ranking sixth at 76.2%, 4% below the national average.
Due on either the third anniversary of a vehicle’s registration or three years since its last assessment, the MOT test is in place to check that vehicles meet road safety and environmental standards. It is illegal to drive a car with an expired MOT, punishable with a fine of up to £1,000.
Depending on the type of vehicle, there are legal restrictions on how much a garage can charge for an MOT. Gov UK lists the maximum fee for a car as £54.85, and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle.
Commenting on the figures, a spokesperson for A-Plan Insurance said: “An MOT checks that your vehicle meets the road safety and environmental standards and is a requirement by law but it is a particularly easy test to fail.
“Small ways to fail your MOT include your screen wash not being filled up or having a lit-up warning light on the dashboard; ensure that you have checked both of these things.”
A-Plan Insurance has over 100 branches nationwide, providing a personalised service to over 900,000 policy holders.
The top 10 areas least likely to pass an MOT test are:
1. Kirkcaldy: 72.9% pass rate
2. Dundee: 74%
3. Truro: 74.5%
4. Plymouth: 74.8%
5. Aberdeen: 75.9%
6. Exeter: 76.2%
7. Torquay: 76.3%
8. Llandrindod Wells, Perth: 76.7%
9. Telford, Bristol, Inverness: 77.2%
10. Paisley: 77.3%.
