More than 30,000 drivers in Portugal failed to present a valid MOT certificate to the authorities in the first six months of the year.
This represents a 5% increase in the number of fines issued by the police for MOT non compliance in comparison to the same period last year, according to data from the National Authority of Road Safety (ANSR).
In total, 32,562 drivers were fined for not having a current MOT certificate in the first half of 2012, an additional 1,607 fines for this driving offence than in the same period of 2011.
Last year, the number of fines for MOT non-compliance (60,995) rose by 25% on 2010 (48,913). According to the Road Code, the minimum fine is €250.
Arguably more importantly, both the PSP and GNR fined a total of 12,179 drivers in the first half of the year for lack of valid car insurance, representing an additional 1,989 fines in comparison to the same period last year.
The ANSR revealed that, in 2011, a total of 23,345 fines were issued to drivers who failed to present a valid car insurance policy. The minimum fine for driving a car without insurance is €500.
