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When Was The MOT Test First Introduced In The UK?

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Kyle Jarvis
When Was The MOT Test First Introduced In The UK?

The Ministry of Transport takes an annual test of cars to observe and check the roadworthiness of each car running on the road. The main checking involves an overall view of the car, whether the car is environment-friendly and safe to drive. The MOT test is supposed to be taken after every 3 years of owning a car. Every auto part is checked and double-checked before giving the driver an MOT certificate. This certificate is important to keep with the other car documents when road police require them. After a maximum of 3 years, the car is illegal to be driven on the road if it is leaking or dissipating smoke.

The History of Ministry of Transport

Compulsory Vehicle Tests were introduced way before in Britain to keep a record of the cars' state and condition. In the 1960s the vehicle tests came into action along with the Motor Vehicle's Regulation. These operations are responsible for simple testing cars. Ever since then, the test kept upgrading.  The British came up with the MOT test drive in April of 1967.

In late January, the MOT further supervised. Including the vehicles other than cars, such as taxis, vans, buses, trucks, and chewy; all began to come in the compulsory MOT per year. The MOT guide and Inspection Manuals are legitimate under the Regulations. The Road Traffic Act in 1988 provides the main basis of how MOT has been the best choice for all vehicles.

MOT Classification System

They categorize vehicles according to the passenger capacity and weight in the class system.

Class 1 includes all bikes and Class 2 has all motorcycles. Then the MOT Class 3 involves all sorts of 3-wheeled transport vehicles. Class 4 MOT involves cars, taxis, vans, and even 12 passenger seat vehicles, such as minibusses and ambulances.

MOT Evolution through Years

The MOT kept evolving with years. At first in 1968, it all began with tires and gas checks in them. The rest of the basic car parts such as widescreen wipers, headlights, backlights, brake lights, and indicators, and the vehicle’s overall appearance started being tested in early 1977. From 1991 to 1994, the emission system of the car was observed for environmental purposes. The braking systems, seatbelts, petrol engine vehicles, and diesel engine vehicles started being checked and reported. In 2012, the complete car package was finalized. The car’s steering locks and speedometers, wiring, ESC, and battery life were checked.

The Strictness of MOT

The government keeps a record of these tests and takes serious actions if the test is not taken on schedule. There are restrictions for the car owner if his car has not completed MOT. The vehicle can get confiscated, and the driver gets to pay penalties and challan fees for every time he gets accused of not having the designated certificate.

The Test does not require disassembling auto parts. Although, the doors, locks, bonnets, and back cabin are checked. You need to keep your car tested annually to keep up the value of your transport in the UK.

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