THE tougher, new-style MOT came into effect on Sunday amid fears in the motor trade that a large percentage of drivers are unaware of the changes involved - and they are changes that will make it harder for vehicles to pass.

Research by breakdown cover provider Green Flag has revealed that six-in-10 drivers (58 per cent) are unaware of the changes to MOT tests while nine-in-10 drivers are unaware that they could be fined up to £2,500 for driving a car with an invalid MOT.

A quarter of drivers are unaware that they could be fined for driving a faulty vehicle, while a sixth (16 per cent) don’t book their MOT tests in early, meaning they could be caught out under the new rules.

Green Flag has found that up to 21 million cars on the roads are faulty and a tendency to “ignore the problem” is racking up bills for British households.

Drivers are spending an average of £574 per year - a national average of £21.5bn - on car repairs, and 47 per cent of these repairs could have been cheaper if the issue had been addressed sooner, the research revealed.

Nick Reid, head of automotive technology at Green Flag, said: “Driving a faulty car is a huge issue. Not only is it dangerous for you, your passengers and other drivers on the road, but not getting issues seen to only makes them worse, which means a bigger bill for you.

“Our research indicates that under the MOT changes which came into effect on Sunday, the majority of drivers are going to get caught out, and potentially face fines for their vehicle treatment.

“We are urging drivers to read up on the new rules and ensure that they book MOTs in early, so if their vehicle fails they have time to get it repaired before putting it through the test again.”

Under the new MoT, diesel cars fitted with a diesel particulate filter will be deemed to have a ‘major’ defect and automatically fail the MoT test if they emit “visible smoke of any colour” during metered checks.

Testers will also inspect diesel particulate filters closely for signs of diesel particulate filter removal or tampering, awarding a major defect and failing the car if foul play is detected.

While the defect categories and diesel tests are drawing most attention, MOT testers will also be tasked with inspecting items they previously didn’t have to.

Some of these might come as a surprise - many motorists may have assumed, for example, that brake pad checks have always been a part of the MOT test. They were not, but they will be now.

New items being checked include obviously under-inflated tyres, contaminated brake fluid, fluid leaks posing an environmental risk, brake pad warning lights and missing brake pads or discs, and reversing lights.

Part of an EU directive, while seeming to be a sensible move, the RAC fears the changes could result in confusion.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Rather than MOT failures simply being black and white, the new system creates the potential for confusion as testers will have to make a judgment as to whether faults are dangerous, major or minor.

“Motorists may also struggle to understand the difference between dangerous and major failures. The current system ensures that any vehicle with a fault that doesn’t meet the MOT requirements is repaired appropriately before being allowed back on the road.

“We understand the Government has little choice in the matter, but gut instinct says if the system isn’t broken, why mess with it?”