Road safety watchdog concerned over high number of dangerously defective cars on Irish roads

A Road Safety Authority spokesperson said the number of vehicles receiving a 'fail dangerous' result at the NCT 'poses a direct and immediate risk to road safety'. File picture

The Road Safety Authority has raised concern about the high rate of dangerously defective cars on the roads, with official figures showing almost 133,000 vehicles submitted for an NCT last year were classified as “fail dangerous".

The figures indicate a record level of about one in every 13 vehicles tested during 2025 was assessed as being unroadworthy to a dangerous level by NCT inspectors.

The overall pass rate for the full test also fell below 50% for the first time in five years.

Figures published by the National Car Testing Service show 7.6% of more than 1.74 million vehicles tested at the country’s 50 NCT centres during 2025 were deemed to be unsafe to be driven on public roads — up from 7.4% the previous year.

It is the highest level of unroadworthy cars detected in recent years, with “fail dangerous” vehicles having grown annually from a low of 4.9% in 2020.

The figures reveal a total of 132,964 vehicles were classified as “fail dangerous” — an annual increase of almost 4,500 on the previous record set in 2024.

They also show 4,218 vehicles remained in a dangerous, unroadworthy condition even after they were presented for re-testing at an NCT centre.

NCTS figures also highlight that more than 14% of all vehicles tested last year had defective tyres, while 11% had a defective front suspension with 8% having defective brakes.

According to the NCTS, the “fail dangerous” classification is applied to vehicles regarded as having a dangerous defect that “constitutes a direct or immediate risk to road safety such that the vehicle should not be used on the road under any circumstances”. 

Cars deemed “fail dangerous” will have a sticker stating their condition affixed to them by an NCT vehicle inspector, with motorists being advised they should have their vehicle towed away.

Commenting on the figures, a spokesperson for the Road Safety Authority said the number of vehicles receiving a “fail dangerous” result “poses a direct and immediate risk to road safety”. 

“It is an offence to drive a vehicle with dangerous defects on public roads,” the spokesperson added.

The RSA has called on all vehicle owners to embrace year-round responsibility for maintaining their cars rather than relying on the NCT to identify faults.

It pointed out customer satisfaction surveys have continuously highlighted the disappointing culture of vehicle owners using the NCT as a diagnostic tool.

The RSA spokesperson said: “We use our vehicles for work and to transport our families, so ensuring our vehicles are maintained to a high standard should be a year-round focus, not something to focus on only before your NCT.

"Regular upkeep ensures your car is safe, roadworthy, and operating efficiently at all times. Proactively addressing known issues before your test improves your chances of passing and helps the NCT system operate more efficiently, freeing up capacity for others."