Warning over unsafe cars on the road due to MOT exemption

All cars, vans and motorcycles are eligible to delay MOT testing for 6 months thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
      One in seven (14%) drivers decide to fill use of the six-month MOT extension, a replacement survey suggests .A poll by RAC Approved Garages indicated that quite 3 times as many motorists (44%) plan on getting their car checked as normal despite the impact of the corona-virus.Of those drivers meaning to delay the MOT as long as possible, 83% say it's because they're confident within the roadworthiness of their vehicle.This is despite the test covering some areas which are difficult or impossible for a driver to see themselves like safety belt safety, brakes and exhaust emissions, consistent with head of RAC Motoring Services Adam O’Neill.
      Even minor defects, sort of a worn windshield wiper, can play a neighborhood during a catastrophic crash.Joshua Harris said: “Since the corona-virus lockdown took effect, many thousands of vehicles monthly are missing their normal MOTs and successively there’s a risk that more unroadworthy cars are now on our roads, especially as more folks are now driving compared to March.“It’s encouraging therefore to ascertain that an outsized proportion of individuals we surveyed care about the condition of their cars and aren’t postpone from getting them through their MOTs or serviced as normal.“But at an equivalent time, there understandably remain some drivers who are worried about how safe it's to go to a garage during the pandemic.”
      All cars, vans and motorcycles in Britain are eligible to delay MOT testing since March 30 thanks to the pandemic, while drivers in Northern Ireland are given a one-year exemption.A separate report by road safety charity Brake and breakdown rescue firm Green Flag highlighted the risks of many drivers delaying an MOT.
It cited Government test data showing that of the 37 million cars and vans licensed in Britain, nearly a 3rd fail their initial MOT with quite a fifth having a serious defect.
      A survey of two,019 drivers suggested that 9% never conduct safety checks on their vehicles, with an extra 27% only doing so once a year.A fifth (20%) of respondents admitted to driving a car that wasn't roadworthy, rising to 38% for those aged 18-34.Department for Transport (DfT) figures show that 39 people were killed and 378 seriously injured on Britain’s roads in crashes where a vehicle defect was a contributory think about 2018.Brake director of campaigns Joshua Harris stressed the importance of normal safety checks of vehicles.“Even minor defects, sort of a worn windshield wiper, can play a neighborhood during a catastrophic crash,” he said.“Drivers have a responsibility for a vehicle’s safety and this is often a responsibility which shouldn't be taken lightly.“We urge all drivers to perform regular walk-round checks of their vehicle, once every week and before any long journeys.“It may be a few minutes which might be the difference between life and death.”
      A DfT spokeswoman said: “The MOT exemption was introduced to assist stop the spread of coronavirus. Drivers, by law, must ensure their vehicle is roadworthy in the least times and therefore the DVSA has issued guidance to drivers on the way to keep a car safe.“Garages are allowed to stay open throughout the pandemic to make sure cars are often fixed and maintained.”