The Chancellor George Osborne announced in the summer budget that there would be a consultation on increasing the time limit for a first MOT from three years to four years. But what does this mean for road safety in the UK?

Osborne claims that the measure could collectively save motorists up to £100m each year. And while that may be of some small comfort to petrol car owners who will be paying at least £140 for their VED by 2017, the safety implications of changing this limit may cause some concern.

According to Honest John, around 20 per cent of cars fail their very first MOT.

This does suggest that if the time limit is extended by 12 months, then the first-time fail figure will increase.

The MOT is useful for drivers who erroneously believe their car is in good working order, only to find that important components are not up to scratch. Some might argue that compelling drivers to take an MOT test also focusses the minds of those who "do not have time" to visit their garage, or are concerned about having to pay out for any repairs that the MOT highlights. Increasing the time limit could mean more cars on the road that are not up to scratch.

In a country that prides itself on having one of the lowest road traffic accident rates in the world some might say the Chancellor's proposals may risk the UK becoming a more dangerous place to be a driver – and to be a pedestrian.

What do you think of the suggestion that the MOT time limit be extended from three to four years? Please leave your comment below.