Anatomy of an Accident
A Jerry Fairbanks and Bell System production, “Anatomy of an Accident” is a 1961 driver's education film in technicolor focusing on defensive driving told through a scripted story centered around a family outing that came to a tragic end.
Before It's Too Late
This color educational traffic safety film starring Dick Van Dyke is about seat belt safety.
Tomorrow is Cancelled
This educational film from the 1970s titled “Tomorrow is Cancelled” was produced by Advent Film Productions for the Narcotics Education Service in Sydney, Australia with special appreciation to the University of Sydney, Department of Pharmacology. It portrays a young woman and her partner getting caught in the world of drugs.
Nürburgring - 100 Jahre grüne Hölle
Race tracks are places of longing. But only the Nürburgring in the Eifel is truly spectacular and idyllic at the same time. Loved by fans, feared by drivers: Dozens of bends, many of them with illustrious names: Schwedenkreuz, Karussell, Fuchsröhre, Bergwerk, Brünnchen. To mark the 100th anniversary of the ground-breaking ceremony in 1925, this documentary tells the story of the ups and downs of the Nürburgring.
The High Way to Die
Produced by Jack McGaw and co-produced by The National Research Council, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation of Communications, and Toronto/Ontario Provincial Police, they demonstrate dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs with participating young drivers alongside field experts and researchers to aid in their experiments.
DUI Decisions
This short social guidance and driver's education film from the 1970s emphasizes the dangers of alcohol, most especially its impacts on driving and decision-making. It includes many interviews with individuals in public (e.g., on the street, at school) and rich, descriptive narration of key moral ideas.
Motorcycle Safety: Helmet Effectiveness
Made in the 1970s by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this film presents a study of the efficacy of motorcycle helmets, by looking at the effects of riders who wore them in an accident. It is presented by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Safety Or Slaughter?
This driver's education film is about the importance of driver behavior in preventing accidents. The narrator, Gordon Anderson of the Industrial Accident Prevention Associations of Ontario, points out that road accidents are a major cause of fatalities. The core problem lies with the driver, whose decision-making can be compromised by fatigue, alcohol, poor vision, and especially, "bad manners." Statistics and tragic real-life examples show that 81% of accidents are caused by driver errors, and 97% of accidents involve cars in good condition. The film advocates for a proactive approach to safety, urging drivers to follow simple rules of the road. It also suggests solutions like stiffer physical and mental tests for drivers, compulsory vehicle inspections, and use of safety belts. The biggest factor is a lack of courtesy. The film asks drivers to choose "safety or slaughter" by remembering their human limitations and treating other drivers with respect and good manners.
The Big Click
A 1980s PSA encouraging people to wear seatbelts.
Alcohol and Red Flares
This driver’s education film from the early 1970s, "Alcohol and Red Flares", warns viewers of the dangers of drunk driving. It recounts the story of a man named “Mike” who drinks heavily at a party, and insists on driving home. The consequences are steep and along the way, viewers learn about Blood Alcohol Level (also known as BAC or Blood Alcohol Content), techniques police use to verify a driver’s inebriation such as the breathalyzer, and the reasons why driving drunk is so dangerous. This film was produced by legendary social guidance filmmaker Sid Davis in cooperation with the Monterey Park Police Department.
Small Cars and Crashes!
Produced by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, this safety film discusses the dangers small or compact cars face on the road compared to large, luxury vehicles despite their growing popularity with consumers.
Decade of Death
This highway scare film produced by the Highway Safety Foundation in 1971, "Decade of Death", is a retrospective of the organization's 10 years of gory, shocking social guidance films which aimed to promote traffic safety and driver responsibility through the display of bloody and horrific footage of traffic crashes.The Highway Safety Foundation made driver scare films such as "Signal 30," "Mechanized Death," and "Highways of Agony" that intended to encourage drivers to drive responsibly and with consideration of the risks and consequences. It was the organization's belief that crash footage, while horrific, was the best way to convey the importance of driving safely.
Mountain Driving
This mid-1960s color film about safely driving in mountains is “A Thru The Windshield Film”.
Cycle Logic Cycle Safety
This film "Cycle Logic Cycle Safety" (1967) was produced by F-M Productions for the U.S. Air Force in conjunction with the Los Angeles Police Department. It focuses on motorcycle safety and the importance of proper training, awareness, and equipment in preventing accidents.
Multiple Lane Traffic
This black & white educational driver safety film is about how to drive on America's new, post-war highways / freeways and on multi lane roads.
Why 55?
Discusses the importance of the 55 mph speed limit established by the National Speed Limit Act of 1974, which has reportedly saved over 45,000 lives and conserved billions of gallons of gasoline. The film presents various perspectives on the speed limit, highlighting its benefits in reducing accidents and fuel consumption, while also addressing the controversy surrounding its enforcement. It emphasizes that driving at 55 mph increases reaction time and decreases stopping distance, ultimately making roads safer. The film concludes by urging viewers to adhere to the speed limit to save lives and energy.
Dynamics of a Car Crash
An excerpt from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Film "Crashes That Need Not Kill", this uses crash test footage to show the effectiveness of shoulder belts over lap belts.
Teenicide
One in a series of traffic safety films made in 1950 by James S. Kemper for the Lumbermans Mutual Casualty Company, with the technical assistance of the LAPD, "Teenicide" addresses the alarming issue of teenage driving-related deaths. The film referrs to "teenocide" because as the police officer narrator states, there has been an 86% increase in the 15-24 age group over the past 25 years.
Broken Glass
The film shows the risks associated with different driving speeds and the impact of collisions. It includes demonstrations of controlled impacts, part of experiments conducted by the University of California to study car crashes and improve safety. This includes the use of anthropometric dummies to measure the effects of collisions on passengers. The importance of safety seat belts and shoulder harnesses in preventing injuries is shown, as well as the dangers to unrestrained children in car accidents and the use of lifelike dolls in experiments. The conclusion of the film emphasises the driver's role in ensuring safety by being attentive and careful.
Life in the Fast Lane
Information film about freeways, their interchanges, and driving safely on them.