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Fears that the number of incidents leading to car accident compensation claims could rise have been triggered by the Transport Secretary's announcement that changes to the current MOT regime are being considered.
Philip Hammond said, "Car technology has come a long way since the 1960s when the MOT regime was introduced. That's why we think it's right to check whether we still have the right balance of MoT testing for modern vehicles."
Proposals would see new cars tested at four years after manufacture rather than three, followed by a two-year gap to the next test, then annual safety tests thereafter. This would mean that new cars on the UK's roads would only be tested four times in their first ten years, compared with the eight tests they currently undergo.
AA President Edmund King said of the proposed changes, "Even if you have a new car that is three years old, it can still have bald tyres and failing lights.
"We have surveyed 60,000 drivers and most of them think we should stick with the current regime. Rather than being a burden on the driver, we think it's a good safety reminder for once a year."
Studies conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory suggest that, currently, three per cent of UK car accidents are caused by defective vehicles. It also believes that the new MOT regime would increase the annual road fatality toll by 16 - 30 incidences.
Personal injury compensation experts fear that fewer vehicle safety tests will lead to an increase in personal injury car accident claims arising from RTAs.
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