The thing that catches most drivers out is losing their grip on the date. Because the interval depends on your vehicle's age, a quick check now keeps the whole thing from sliding up on you later.
A practical first move is to find the date on your most recent inspection report, which always states when the next one falls due; for a newly imported or newly bought car, the registration papers place it in the cycle.
Building a week or two of margin into that date is the single most useful habit a driver can form, turning a small fault into a quick repair rather than a failed test and a wasted morning.
When in doubt, assume the test is due sooner rather than later. Checking costs nothing, and a lapsed inspection costs a great deal more than an early one.
