Reports that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is looking to align the MOT test and vehicle safety recall process have been greeted by the RAC, which has said that it would be a “very positive step for road safety”.

The RAC said aligning the MOT and vehicle recall systems would be a positive step for road safety

According to a report by Auto Express, the DVSA is planning to work with the Department for Transport to determine how the MOT system can be adjusted to cover outstanding safety recalls in the future, with the DVSA having said the move would make logical sense.

Although the SMMT launched an online vehicle recall search tool in 2015 to enable motorists to check for any outstanding safety issues on cars or vans – followed by a fleet-dedicated version in May 2018 – Auto Express says an estimated one in 13 cars in the UK is subject to an outstanding recall, equating to some 2.38 million cars.

Commenting on the suggestion, RAC road safety spokesperson Pete Williams said: “Any measure that could reduce the numbers of potentially unsafe vehicles on our roads should be welcomed. It seems logical to align the MOT test to the safety recall system, but there are some practicalities which the DVSA has identified that need to be addressed to make this possible.

“While most drivers would want any potentially dangerous fault rectified as soon as possible, any process that either flags such outstanding recall issues as a warning to act on or as an MOT advisory is a very positive step for road safety.”