NEED HELP IDENTIFYING SERIES OF "SAFE DRIVING" PSAS--1950S

[Hal Erickson]

Here's something I remember vividly from my TV-watching past. I saw it on TV stations in Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Louisville and Rockford Illinois.

It was a series of five-minute fillers, apparently put together by the National Council of Safety (though I could be wrong about this). Each episode began with a line drawing of
a tire tube hanging on a tree limb, evidently after a horrible accident. Then we dissolved to an animated sequence shot from overhead. The cars were reprented by gray rectangles, while drivers, passengers and pedestrians were represented by black stick figures. A narrator would describe an traffic accident, which would be illustrated by moving the "cars". Human beings killed in the accident were represented by "X"es. As the accident played out, we heard a strident bit of stock music, dominated by discordant trumpets (I've since heard this music on various kinescope dramas from the 50s). Then the narrator would say "This accident should not have happened. How did it happen?" (or maybe it was "Why did it happen?")
Another dissolve to a panel of talking heads, generally two or three law enforcement officials or traffic experts. They would explain the various missteps that occured leading to the accident. Once this was over, the animation was repeated with the same loud, discordant music. The end.

Does anyone else remember this series of short PSA films? Do prints exist? Who produced them? When did they first appear on TV? Heeelllllpppp!

 

[wiifm]

I can't help you because that's before my time. But I'd love to see one of those PSAs. It sounds unbelievably creepy.

 

[zook]

I also remember the TV "short" you describe. It's strange that few if any other people do out there on the Internet. I grew up in Detroit and it was often shown on Saturdays, either early in the morning or mid afternoon. "This accident should not have happened" is definitely one of my early TV memories!

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I remember these showing in Cincinnati - about mid-1950's. The usually would appear as kind of "filler material" on Saturday mornings. They got my attention and I was a number of years younger than the driving age. I think they were sponsored by The National Safety Council.

There were also some similar films that used some real-life images of cars. You would see close-ups of the face of the driver from before the mishap to the point of the accident. Each had its own name - somewhat in keeping with the type of violation that led to the mishap. One I vividly recall was titled, "The Road Hog". It showed a vehicle from the rear as it edged over the center line until it struck a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. I remember in that specific episode, the driver of the car in violation was not shown and, as a young person, you imagine what a horrible face "The Road Hog" would have had.

Before those, I also recall bumper bumper stickers with a traffic safety slogan being provided monthly at a local bank. One I definitely remember was the slogan for the Month of October - "Death Rides At Night". Brrrrrrrr. Still makes me shiver.

 

[Limp73]

Try contacting the Ad Council.

 

[azumanga]

I think they were sponsored by The National Safety Council.

Try contacting the Ad Council.

If the National Safety Council sponsored them, try contacting them directly. Besides, I don't recall any NSC PSAs that were presented by the Ad Council -- I think the NSC presented all their PSAs themselves.