“If you don’t have an OC/TA – don’t drive!” (2025)

During the period from May 2025 to June 1, 2, the Latvian Motor Insurers Bureau (LTAB) implemented a social campaign “If you don’t have an OC/TA – don’t drive!”, the aim of which was to explain to the public the need for timely MOT and technical inspection, as well as to reduce the number of vehicles that do not purchase MOT or miss the validity dates of their technical inspection. During the campaign, special attention was paid to informing owners of electric scooters that from July 2025, 1, MOT is mandatory for these vehicles.

Implemented activities and achieved results:
1) Using the previously developed software, 394113 vehicles were checked with stationary speed cameras in an extraordinary mode, analyzing their OCTA and technical inspection status. For this purpose, 22 speed cameras operated in an extraordinary mode throughout Latvia during the campaign. The data obtained were compared with those collected in similar campaigns in previous years. When launching the campaign LTAB estimated that the total number of uninsured vehicles on Latvian roads is around 1%. Inspections conducted during the campaign found that of the vehicles inspected, 1382 (0.35%) did not have a valid MTPL, and 56 (0.01%) did not have a technical inspection, which confirms that the number of vehicles participating in traffic without a valid MTPL and technical inspection is decreasing.

2) During the campaign, a broad explanatory campaign was implemented in traditional mass media and digital media. An information campaign was organized on EHR Group radio stations, as well as opinion leaders were involved. As a result, the target audience's understanding of the need for MTPL and/or technical inspection has increased and awareness of the consequences that may arise if MTPL is not purchased or technical inspection is not performed in a timely manner. The target audience was also informed about the possibilities of applying for reminders about MTPL and technical inspection validity periods. Electric scooter owners were specifically addressed to inform about the new norms that provide for mandatory MTPL from July 1. The real audience reached (reach) during the campaign in total across all media channels – 9488596.

3) A quantitative survey of the target audience was conducted before and after the campaign. The survey conducted in early May was attended by 1003 respondents, of whom 60% indicated that they support the changes, which provide that from July 1, OCTA will also be mandatory for electric scooters. The survey conducted in mid-June was attended by 1005 respondents, of whom 66% indicated that they support the aforementioned changes. Similarly, in the final survey of the campaign, 37% of respondents indicated that they had noticed an explanatory campaign in May, which informed that from July 1, OCTA will also be mandatory for electric scooters, while 22% of respondents indicated that they had noticed an explanatory campaign in May, which called for checking the validity of the OCTA and technical inspection, and not to participate in road traffic if the OCTA and/or technical inspection is not valid.

Campaign website: www.ltab.lv/radars