Recently on trial in Cambridge and Milton Keynes.  As seen on BBC TV!  (And, indeed, all over planet Earth).

Because they all know where each other is, I wonder if they'll take it into their "head(s)" to work collaboratively?

My car celebrated its first birthday (with me) in early November, but I never got round to posting a witty picture. So here it is, with a Twinkie cake and one candle.

I had intended to drive off fast, so it could blow its own candle out, but there’s probably rules against that.

Happy Holidays, Shalom, 聖誕快樂, Joyeux Noël, سلام !

A 2021 Government report (House of Commons Transport Committee, 2021), published following the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry entitled ‘Road Safety: Young and novice drivers’, included an examination of the case for implementing GDL in Great Britain.

It noted that there is evidence for injury reduction from GDL, but also that there are concerns about the impact on other outcomes such as access to employment and education for young people.

Previously there had been a commitment in the 2019 Road Safety Statement to undertake research into these social and economic consequences of GDL. However, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, when giving evidence to the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry, noted that the research had not progressed, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about the potential effects of GDL on employment.

This report therefore examines some of the questions which remain unanswered in terms of the social and economic consequences of GDL. It addresses the areas of concern raised in the House of Commons Transport Select Committee report, by means of a rapid evidence review of published literature, and through interviews with young people and international experts on GDL.

It has been prepared for the RAC Foundation and the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund by Dr Shaun Helman, Dr Neale Kinnear, Jack Hitchings and Dr Sarah Jones.

2005 Vauxhall Corsa, 4-gear auto (black; 81,000 miles).

Bought locally with my help by former student Will, in late 2021. Used for regular journeys to London while Will was waiting for his new car to be built and delivered.

The vendor, Will, says:

“I have done arond 6000 miles this year. Changed one tyre following a puncture and did a full service in the summer, and it had a clear MOT in January, so I have tried to look after it! MOT runs until end of Jan-23.

PROS: Starts every time. No difficulty in getting up to motorway speeds, including overtaking in fast lane (obviously most of my journeys in the car have been 2h+ motorway stretches). It is ULEZ compliant (so no Clean Air Zone fees). No issues with heating or anything.

CONS: Nothing has really changed since we bought it. Has a missing a sun visor on the driver side (which I hadn't noticed at the time). The full service only commented on one thing - a slight split in the back windscreen wiper which could affect visibility. It hasn't affected it for me, so I haven't replaced it. Other than that they gave green marks to everything checked.

I don't know a lot about cars, but it certainly doesn't feel like a car that is on its last legs from driving it. I paid £1600. Prices on Autotrader for this type of car (that is working) start at £1500, although that one is not local. The local one at £1699 is a few years older with more miles. I am open to discussion on price.”

A look this month a road casualties for 2021 in pure numerical terms, by age and sex :

• 78% and 62% in terms of fatalities and all casualties were male
• 3% of fatalities and 10% of all casualties were aged 16 and under falling into what we regard up to the age of 15 inclusive as children
• 26% of fatalities and 30% of all casualties were aged 17 to 29 and include those who fall into the category of young drivers but by no means are all people killed or injured in this group drivers.
• 19% of fatalities and 6% of all casualties were aged over 70 and are of growing concern as the population gets older and people are driving for longer although by no means are all the people killed or injured in this group drivers.

Note: These figures indicate that there are some 3,131 people who were injured for whom the age was not recorded although the figures for those killed appear correct.

With thanks to https://www.GrahamFeest.com.