Woman explains why drivers should never have air fresheners when going for an MOT

A woman has warned fellow drivers of the unusual driving fault that failed her MOT test – and little did she know, but she could also be slapped with a fine and penalty points

Drivers have often been stung by little-known driving faults that can cause MOT fails – or even worse, fines or points on their license. While accessories inside your vehicle like stickers and air fresheners may seem harmless, one woman is arguing that these unassuming good can cause havoc when it comes to taking your car in for an MOT.

After being left “in tears” over the reason for her failed inspection, driver and TikToker @katieejob shared a video online warning other motorists to be aware of her mistake. According to the woman, leaving the scent booster hanging from her rear-view mirror meant she was slapped with a “major defect” on her record.

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In a mid to make others aware, Katie urged fellow drivers not to fall victim to the same mistake.

She said: “Lesson learnt – don’t forget to take your air freshener off your car when taking it for an MOT.

The woman then shared a clip of the documents from the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency which detailed the reason for the MOT failure. The paper reads: “Repair immediately (major defects)”.

“Driver’s view of an obligatory external mirror significantly affected by an obstruction Central Front (air handing from rear view mirror),” it clarified.

Not only did the blunder leave Katie with a failed MOT, but she may be surprised to know that the ordeal could slap her with a £1,000 fine and three penalty points.

While it’s not actually illegal to drive with large air fresheners, doing so could land you with a £100 on-the-spot fine if it’s found to obscure your view.

If you then went on to challenge the fine in court, you could be facing a much nastier fine of £1,000 and three points.

The warnings, issued in the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act, dictate that a driver is not permitted to use a vehicle if their view of the road is obstructed in any way.

The Road Traffic Act states “no person shall drive a motor vehicle on a road if he is in such a position that he cannot … have a full view of the road and traffic ahead.”

Meanwhile, The Highway Code says, “windscreens and windows must be kept clean and free from obstructions to vision.”

Hanging decorations from the rear-view mirror or using stickers to jazz up your car could also affect your insurer paying out if you are involved in an accident.

Many people shared their shock in the comment section of the TikTok video, with some even bravely admitting to the mistake.

“I’ve never had one fail and I’ve always left air freshners in,” one user claimed.

A second agreed: “I’ve literally had one in on every single mot I’ve ever done and never failed.”

A third added: “That’s tight, my garage just removed mine for me before starting the mot. I didn’t even know it wasn’t allowed until after when I saw it on the seat.”

Katie clarified in the comments: “Not trying to s*** the garage off btw, the rules are rules just annoying that it is a rule”.

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