'Tis the season to encourage young people to drive safely

Even schools serving the most deprived areas have succumbed to the insidious notion that learning should be celebrated by a "big bang" event at which little expense is spared. Near us, there is a pub with a restaurant that has reinvented itself for the prom market and for a period of several weeks, there is a stream of vintage cars and stretch limos - as well as more exotic modes of transport, including a bright-red vintage Routemaster double-decker bus - all bearing school leavers dressed up to the nines.

There is, though, a major advantage to school proms as "official" celebrations in that they are generally alcohol-free and smoke-free environments. No doubt there is some illicit drinking going on, and the odd cigarette, and perhaps more than that, but the staff at the venues know very well that repeat custom relies on their following the rules. So school proms are generally safe events.