The MOT will be mandatory for 'total loss' cars that are to be repaired

A few weeks ago we reported that on the upcoming 11th of May there would be a change to the Traffic Regulations. Well, the Directorate-General for Traffic has now approved a series of changes, including one establishing that all vehicles that have been declared a total loss will have to pass a mandatory MOT before returning to the roads.

A car is declared a total loss when the costs arising from a traffic accident are so high that its repair cost exceeds the market value of the model. The insurance company considers that this limit has been reached when the repair cost would exceed between 75 and 100% of the market value of the vehicle. The percentage will vary depending on what is included in the insurance policy.

The MOT will be mandatory if a written-off vehicle wants to return to the road

When a car is declared a total loss, this does not mean that scrapping is the only option. The owner decides whether to sell or repair it. However, the new General Vehicle Regulation establishes that all vehicles declared a total loss must undergo a Technical Vehicle Inspection before returning to the roads or even to the market.

This inspection must be passed with a date later than the declaration of the total loss to guarantee that the vehicle in question still meets the safety conditions required for driving. The Directorate-General for Traffic has imposed this procedure for reasons of transparency and safety.

Only through the checks carried out at MOT stations can it be guaranteed that the written-off car is in optimal condition to be driven. In addition, it increases the safety of users of the used-car market, who will avoid possible defects not disclosed during the purchase process. It is important to highlight that the changes approved by the Directorate-General for Traffic in the General Vehicle Regulation also limit temporary deregistration to twelve months.

This measure has been introduced to tackle the presence of “zombie cars” on the roads. Traffic will automatically reinstate vehicles that have exhausted their 12 months of temporary deregistration, unless the owners request an extension of the temporary deregistration.