Vehicle Owners MOT and Insurance Advice

Following the recent relaxation of the MOT regulations in order to cope with the Corona virus cases, we have had a number of enquiries about insurance cover.

Firstly – this does not affect insuring your vehicle, insurers will no doubt follow the government guidelines in respect of whether a vehicle is allowed to be on the road, however this does not reduce your duty of care in any way and your requirement to have valid insurance cover in force.

Secondly – It is still your (as a vehicle users) responsibility to make sure the vehicle you use is in good working order and safe for both you, your passengers and other road users and if you are in any doubt should not use it. An MOT is a simple annual check, you still have responsibility for the condition of the vehicle at all times and ignorance of the road traffic laws is no excuse.

We are aware that a number of vehicle retailers and MOT centres are still remaining open, Halfords in particular is still providing some services, but these will be prioritised for emergency workers, key workers and those who can demonstrate a medical need.

As per most of the government advice currently the key is to not panic, plan well in advance and only use vehicles for essential tasks as guided by the government.

One top motoring tip however is if you do have a modern vehicle with multiple ECU’s, is if you are able to plug your vehicle into a trickle charger, or occasionally start the vehicle and run it for at least twenty minutes to charge the battery it will help retain the condition of the battery for when you do need to use the vehicle.

For those with older vehicles prone to handbrake issues, It may also be as well to chock the wheels of the vehicle safely and release the handbrake (on a flat surface) to prevent corrosion sticking the pads to the disks.
Above all else please remain safe on the roads and drive well within your limits if required as the emergency services are under a lot of pressure.

If you need any further advice or support, please don’t hesitate to contact us.