Motor law

[sukkie]

MOT has expired about a week ago, we said the car can now not be driven as insurance is not valid if MOT has expired. Someone told my friend she can drive it if she has a valid appointment to MOT the car in three days time. I think my friend is getting the wrong advice and listening to the wrong advice. What do you think?

[CheekyChops]

You are allowed to drive to a pre-booked appointment at a test centre. How would anyone ever get their car MOT'd otherwise if it had expired or failed originally and they couldn't fix it the same day?

[pauln90]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/DG_4022108

[sukkie]

Thanks cheeky, I realise you can drive it to a pre arrange appointment but can you drive it around with an expired MOT between the expiry date and the MOT date?

[sara3]

of course not!

[timetrialler]

If you drive any vehicle WITHOUT insurance you WILL be liable to prosecution. You CAN drive your vehicle WITHOUT an MOT to a garage where the test has been pre arranged but NOT WITHOUT INSURANCE! You must drive the vehicle DIRECT to the MOT station. If you stop off for a newspaper or a cup of coffee and you are stopped you will be liable to prosecution for driving without a valid MOT.Driving without insurance at ANY time is an endorseable offence and should NOT be undertaken in any circumstances..........if anyhting went wrong the consequences dont bear thinking about! In short.......DONT DO IT!!!!!

[sukkie]

Thanks everyone, we said the same. If the MOT is expired, you can only drive it to the test station but not everywhere else. I do hope they take the advice given.

[numberouno]

lets clear this up shall we!!

there are three occasions in law where you can drive a motor vehicle on a road without an MOT.
1. to a prebooked mot
2. on the way home from said prebooked appointment having failed the mot
3. having failed the mot, you can then only drive the car to the scrap yard.

[FrankGalvin]

I'll give you a fourth (just to be pedantic) :-). The law recognizes the defence of necessity. If it was a genuine case of life or death the law would forgive your otherwise illegal act up to but not beyond the period or circumstances where absolutely necessary. As soon as there was an alternative (like finding a phone box, for example), you would be expected to refrain from driving the car.