7 Essential Things Motorists Forget

A third of motorists admit to having driven a car without an MOT. Every vehicle (over 3 years old) is subject to an MOT to test it is roadworthy every 12 months. MOT’s cover mechanical standards and also environmental standards too. It is completely up to the vehicle owner to ensure their vehicle has a valid MOT, there will be no renewal letters or reminders. Road users are susceptible for a fine of up to £1,000 if they are found behind the wheel of a vehicle without an MOT. 

Also known as Road Tax or ‘Vehicle Excise Duty,’ every vehicle must be either taxed or declared (SORN) Statutory Off Road Notification annually. This system is now fully automated following the abolition of the tax disc so there is no escaping the grips of the DVLA. Put simply, the DVLA check their database monthly and every car which has no Tax and hasn’t been declared SORN will have a fine of £80 sent to the registered keeper’s address. Make sure you act upon the renewal letter when yours comes through!

Whether you pay your car insurance monthly or annually, it can be easy to forget to renew your car insurance, even more so when some insurance companies make no active effort to inform you when your current policy expires, so diligence is often required by consumers. Being pulled over in an uninsured vehicle holds bleak consequences. Firstly, the car will be confiscated - but that is the least of your worries. You can be banned immediately, usually for 28 days but longer sentences are given to repeat offenders. Many police forces also give 6-8 Penalty points and a fine of £200 - although they can legally fine up to £1,000. Do yourself a favour and make sure you don’t forget to renew.

Tyres are the only things keeping you and your huge piece of metal firmly in contact with the ground - it really isn’t necessary to stress how important tyres are, it’s rather obvious. If you are found in control of a vehicle with defective tyres then the maximum fine is £2,500 and three penalty points per tyre. Do bear in mind that if you’re vehicle has 4 defective tyres then you can be fined £10,000 and given 12 penalty points - an immediate ban. Still think it’s worth risking?

Regularly servicing your vehicle is essential with new and old cars alike, and although there is usually an on-board reminder every 10,000 miles or so (depending on vehicle and manufacturer) it is easy to neglect servicing a vehicle annually. There is a significant financial incentive when servicing your vehicle. When you get round to selling or trading in your car, a full service history will add to the overall value and you are also less susceptible to mechanical failures if your vehicle has been maintained routinely, not to mention neglecting scheduled services voids the warranty of certain vehicles.

While it is not legally essential, breakdown cover is always recommended because sometimes you just never know what will happen on the roads. Most breakdown recovery companies, such as the RAC, and the AA will email you in advance of the end of your contract with them, to avoid leaving you uncovered. However, if you find you’ve neglected your inbox and experience a breakdown, you’ll only have yourself to blame as you’ll have to request an emergency call out and pay the premium as a non-member.

All vehicles come with a warranty from brand new - usually the manufacturer warranty will last 3 years although some manufacturers, such as Hyundai, extend their warranty to 5 years to give buyers peace of mind. To ensure you are fully covered when the manufacturer warranty expires there are also independent warranty providers. The warranty is more accurately described as a ‘mechanical breakdown insurance’ and covers for wear and tear and unexpected repair bills. The cost of forgetting to renew your warranty depends entirely on your car and the faults that may arise, but they can easily be thousands of pounds. Once again this is a motoring-matter to keep on top of.