If your vehicle is over 3 years old then once a year you will have to, by law, book it in for a MOT Test. The MOT Test is very closely regulated and as such you can only take your vehicle to approved MOT Test centres.

The Test has a long history and was created to try and cut down on the high amount of traffic fatalities that were coming all too common place in the 1950's and 1960's.

What is checked in a MOT Test?

During a test, many different parts of the car are checked and tested to ensure that they are in the correct working order and are not likely to cause an accident. When doing a test the approved and qualified technician is not allowed to take the car a part to do the tests. Everything must remain intact.

The main parts of the car tested are:

Lighting Equipment

Steering (including suspension)

Brakes

Car Tyres

Seat Belts

Driver's view of the road

Windscreen Wipers

Windscreen

Horn

Exhaust system

Exhaust emissions

All the mirrors

The Fuel system

Registration plates and Vehicle Identification Number

Where to find a MOT Test Centre

Like mentioned before, MOT Test Centres are regulated and have to comply to certain standards before they can carry out MOTs. At present it is estimated that there are around 19,000 authorised test centres throughout Britain.

If a garage has met the requirements and is allowed to carry out test then it will have a blue MOT sign (which consists of three white triangles all pointing into the centre). There are many different web sites set up with a MOT Test Centre search tool and so it should be fairly easy for you to find a test centre near you.

Preparing Your Vehicle for the MOT Test

To keep you vehicle in top condition is it recommended that you book it in for a car service at least every 6,000 miles. By booking it in for a relatively regular car service you can help to keep all the parts of the vehicle, that are vital to your car passing the MOT test, in great condition.

There are some quick and easy things you can do to prepare your car for its MOT test. This not only helps to make the tester's job easier, but also allows you to spot anything that could potentially fail your car and allows you to correct it before the test takes place.

Check that all your tires are in good condition and have a tread depth of at least 1.6mm

Check that all the lights are fitted with working bulbs

Check the seat belts function properly and are not excessively worn

Make sure that your boot is not full or cluttered and that the car is generally clean on both the interior as well as the exterior

Make sure that the body work is not overly damaged. Basically, ensure that there are no sharp exposed edges that could harm a pedestrian

If all these parts are in good condition then you will have done as much as you can to help ensure that the MOT near me goes smoothly and successfully.

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