The decision by the DGT to incorporate an application in surveillance cameras to read license plates and check for valid MOT has not only resulted in increased revenue from fines but has also increased the waiting time at testing centres in Málaga province.
The busiest times at MOT testing stations used to be just prior to holiday periods, when motorists scampered to get their vehicles in order. Now, there is reportedly a two to three week waiting list all the time as drivers try to avoid the €200 fine associated with not having a valid certificate.
The testing station in Guadalhorce, the busiest in Andalucia, is being particularly inundated with around 1,300 daily inspections and waiting times currently around three weeks.
The threat of a €200 fine is prompting drivers to ‘get legal’, which can only be a good thing.
It is estimated that around 150,000 cars and 24,000 motorcycles travel the roads of Málaga without having a valid MOT. In 2013, some 26,032 motorists were sanctioned. In 2014 the figure rose to 38,527. As well as improving road safety by encouraging people to MOT their vehicles, it is also a nice little earner for the DGT.
The camera application, also included in some fixed radar cameras, cross-checks the vehicle to a database and should things not be in order, automatically issues a fine.