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More than 10 million vehicles have failed their MOT since new tougher test regulations were introduced just over a year ago.

A third of vehicles examined did not pass the test, with one-in-10 classed as dangerous, according to research by breakdown provider Green Flag.

New tests were introduced in May 2018 and the research has established where the most dangerous vehicles are located in the UK.

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Drivers in Greater London have the safest vehicles, with 71 per cent of vehicles passing the new test, whilst vehicles in the south west are the most dangerous, with 38 per cent failing.

The new tests include stricter limits for emissions and additions to previous checks.

Three new failure categories are minor, major and dangerous. If a car fails with a dangerous result, it is illegal to drive on the roads. Under the new MOT rules, drivers could be fined up to £2,500 if they are driving a car without a valid MOT.

Of the 30,488,960 MOT tests taken nationwide, 10,001,293 (33 per cent) of these were fails and 20,487,667 (67 per cent) were passes. Of these, 2,817,967 (nine per cent) vehicles yielded dangerous results and 9,095,989 (44 per cent) yielded major results.

(Image: Shaun Fellows/newsteam.co.uk)

Motorbikes fared better than cars with 83 per cent of motorbikes passing, and only 17 per cent failing. By comparison, only 67 per cent of cars passed new MOT tests.

Regions where the most fails occurred include the south west (38 per cent), Wales (35 per cent), Scotland (35 per cent), the East Midlands (33 per cent) and the north east (33 per cent).

Meanwhile, the safest motors are those in the capital, as the highest pass rate for the new MOT test was Greater London (71 per cent), followed by the East of England (69 per cent), the West Midlands (68 per cent) and the North West (68 per cent).

Mark Newbery, of Green Flag , said: “Drivers should be aware of the risks of driving a faulty car. It not only endangers other motorists, but drivers and their passengers alike. Problems with vehicles will only worsen if not seen to, costing more money in the long run.

“We are urging drivers to thoroughly check their cars and repair any problems immediately, to give them the best chance of passing the new MOT tests.”