The Driver and Vehicle Standards Department (DVSA) is a UK Department for Transport executive agency. It conducts driving exams, certifies persons to be driving instructors and MOT testers, conducts tests to ensure that automobiles are safe to drive on the UK roads, conducts driver and vehicle roadside checks, and tracks vehicle recalls. The DVSA's declared mission is to "assist you in staying safe on Uk's roads." It accomplishes this by guiding individuals through a lifetime of safe driving, assisting people in maintaining the safety of their vehicles, and safeguarding them from dangerous drivers and automobiles. Specific to the MOT industry, DVSA recognition is a mandatory requirement by the UK law to establish an MOT testing station, MOT training centres and responsible for the ongoing standards of the MOT testers to keep UK roads safer. Also, DVSA issues MOT testing guide to assist new and existing Authorised Examiners, Testers, and other interested parties in meeting the Secretary of State's requirements for conducting statutory tests on specified motor vehicles.
Any MOT training courses offered from a recognised DVSA Training Centres will stringently follow the guidelines to support individuals to acquire their desired qualifications. DVSA publishes the MOT checklists for the registered MOT testers to help the MOT testing process. MOT checklists consist of the items to be checked during the MOT test like interior checks, exterior checks, under-bonnet checks, under-vehicle checks, and emissions. The MOT checklists also dwell on the critical information of the testing vehicle. It is the common format used during the MOT testing process.
On November 12, 2018, the DVSA launched a new approach for calculating the MOT risk of non-compliance. This method will be used to assess every MOT testing facility and MOT tester. They'll be divided into three categories: red, amber, and green, with red being the most threatening. The goal of risk rating and site inspection is to ensure that the MOT testing station meets the criteria and regulations for providing MOT tests and has processes in place to support the MOT tester so that vehicles receive the best possible results during their MOT test.
• A risk rating will be assigned to each MOT tester. The risk rating is determined by comparing the results of their tests to national averages. MOT testers whose data differs significantly from the average will be given a higher score. A high rating of any MOT tester is been flagged to the Authorised Examiner (AE) and DVSA. Hence, supports the developing ongoing skills and competencies of the trained MOT Tester.
• A rating does not always imply that the MOT tester is doing something incorrectly. However, there is something that needs to be investigated to discover the causes for this.
• By going to their profile, MOT testers can discover their risk rating. Only MOT testers have access to their risk rating. It is entirely up to the tester whether or not to share this information with others. Data from the testing service and details of unsatisfactory inspections are used to compute the risk rating.
DVSA risk ratings support the continual professional development of the MOT testers to assess their existing competencies and to perceive their testing performance. In the MOT testing courses which are recognised by the DVSA, students will learn all the DVSA guidelines, MOT checklists and MOT risk ratings in the supervised environment.
In addition, MOT Testing sites will also get an overview of their testing performance and conduct any quality audits to comply with DVSA standards. The following factors go into determining the risk level of an MOT testing station
• MOT Testers
• The evaluation of the MOT Testing facility
• The result of unfavourable inspections and visits
Test quality reports should be used by AE and MOT centre managers to learn about their MOT testers testing profiles. It aids the MOT centre management to address the key issues to improve the facility testing performance.
The MOT tester needs to comply with the DVSA standards and be recognised. Students will benefit from the theoretical and practical knowledge of all DVSA standards, MOT checklists, MOT risk ratings and the latest MOT testing guide in their DVSA recognised MOT training courses or centres.