Watch out! Old cars, no MOT and no insurance: the reality of Spain's car park

The year 2020 was a very bad year for new car registrations, and 2021 is no better. In March, registrations fell by 30% compared with the previous year, and sales for that year were already low. New car registrations are stagnant, and this creates a problem that often goes unnoticed: the average age of Spain’s car park is rising, according to a report published by Acierto.

This means that the average age of the cars on our roads has already reached 13 years. A figure that makes the risk of driving considerably higher. A car over 10 years old has twice the risk of breaking down and poses a danger on the roads and in the streets. If it is more than 14 years old, the chances of having an accident are three times higher than with a new car.

With proper maintenance, that risk is considerably reduced, but it is always present. The lack of driver assistance systems makes the vehicle harder to control, and the absence of ABS and ESP, two of the most basic, increases the risk. And, note this, according to the study, 55% of the vehicles on Spanish roads have covered more than 100,000 km.

Lack of maintenance and no insurance

The current economic situation means that owners of these older cars think twice before taking the car to the garage. Minor faults that could easily be repaired are ignored and, over time, they lead to more complex breakdowns. Tyres also suffer as a result. In fact, according to the study, 3 in every 5 drivers do not change their tyres in time and drive with worn wheels. One more risk added to the others.

The MOT serves to identify these problems and fix them. But in this respect we also face worrying figures. According to the Spanish Association of Collaborating Entities of the Administration in Technical Vehicle Inspection, 45 out of every 100 vehicles on the road do not have a valid MOT. An important figure that can lead to a fine of between 200 and 500 euros, depending on the case.

The figure is worrying, and it is also a concern for drivers. Around 10% of the cars involved in an accident did not have a valid MOT. This also affects insurance, since the insurer may refuse to pay compensation for own-damage or even third-party damage if it is shown that the accident was caused by a fault that could have been detected during the MOT.

Lack of insurance is another problem that keeps growing. Financial difficulties mean that some drivers cannot afford the cost and have gone without it. This trend began to be seen in 2008, during the previous economic crisis. Since then, an increase of 41% compared with previous years has been detected.

In Spain there are 32,054,257 insured vehicles, which means that the number of vehicles driving without insurance is around 2.5 million. A rather worrying figure that carries a fine of between 601 and 3,005 euros and the immobilisation of the vehicle. Having insurance is important because the losses you can suffer are far greater than its cost, even in the case of a minor incident.

The most appropriate way to keep a car over 10 years old in good condition is to carry out regular servicing, pass the MOT every year and repair any defects found, and keep an insurance policy active that allows you to drive with full legal cover.