Life in the Fast Lane

Mr. Death

An exclusive interview with Death as he goes about his everyday business.

Faces of Death II

A face-to-face confrontation with Guerrilla death squads in El Salvador, napalm bombings in Vietnam, the drugging of a monkey, a dolphin slaughter, a train disaster in India, Cambodian lepers, a death museum, a driver high on PCP and a boxer going down for his “final” count.

Boobytrap!

In the new world of high-speed highway driving, there are a host of new dangers to take into account.

Carrier or Killer

This film shows the dangers of driving commercial trucks professionally as part of driver’s education. It displays various truck drivers; some cautious and others fatally dangerous.

Collision Rescue

When two parties get in a head-on collision, it's up to emergency services to free them from the wreckage. What follows is a demonstration of what their job and duties entail.

Hell's Highway: The True Story of Highway Safety Films

This film covers the early history of post World War II educational films, especially those involving traffic safety by the Highway Safety Foundation under direction of Richard Wayman. In the name of promoting safe driving in teenagers, these films became notorious for their gory depiction of accidents to shock their audiences to make their point. The film also covers the role of safety films of this era, their effect on North American teenage culture, the struggle between idealism and lurid exploitation and how they reflected the larger society concerns of the time that adults projected onto their youth.

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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.

Lifesaving and Water Safety: Snorkeling Skills and Rescue Techniques

The film provides a comprehensive guide on snorkeling skills and rescue techniques, emphasizing the importance of proper equipment such as masks, snorkels, and fins. It discusses how to choose the right mask for comfort and fit, the proper use of snorkels, and techniques for clearing water from both masks and snorkels. The film also covers essential skills for entering the water safely, practicing buddy systems during snorkeling, and techniques for locating and rescuing submerged victims. It highlights the need for training and emphasizes that while these skills are crucial for rescue, they do not replace the need for a full certified course in skin diving.

Life or Death - EMT First Responders

This somewhat bizarre film about Emergency Medical Technicians or EMTs was produced and distributed by Film Commutators in Hollywood, California. The film dates to a time when ambulance crews were being replaced by paramedics / EMTs, who had sufficient training to make medical decisions and give on-scene care. The film makes a strong argument to decision makers in favor of upgrading from mere ambulance drivers to EMTs.

The Mystery Crash

“The Mystery Crash” discusses the dangers of drinking and driving especially as it pertains to the seemingly harmless “social drinker.” This film was produced by Jack Lieb Productions Inc, Chicago and sponsored by the National Safety Council. It is part of a series of films, with each episode describing a different element of driving and road safety.

Dad... Can I Borrow the Car?

A live-action short, using many avant-garde film techniques, that looks at American car culture in the late 1960s. The main section deals with the many trials and obstacles a teenager must face on the path to being able to drive. Surviving the driver's education class is only the first step, as the teenager must then pass his driving test, and then finally get permission to borrow the family car.

Le Mans 55, une tragédie française

The Le Mans race in 1955 made history through tragedy when more than 80 spectators were killed. Uncover the story of the crash that took the lives of so many and, to this day, looms over the world of motorsports.

Chlorine and the Firefighter

This 1974 film is dedicated by the Chlorine Institute to the public interest. It is specifically intended to assist firefighters and other emergency services. The techniques demonstrated are appropriate for emergency use; different circumstances might require modified or additional procedure. The information is drawn from sources believed to be reliable. The Institute, its members any organizations cooperating in the development of this film, jointly or severally, cannot be responsible for how the information is used and must make this legal disclaimer. This is a 1960s era, color movie about Chlorine and emergency workers… specifically, firefighters. The film is intended to show firefighters what chlorine is, what a chlorine emergency might involve, how a company can plan ahead and how an emergency can be handled safely.

Your Chance to Live: Flood

Dramatizes the plight of a young adventure seeker whose canoe is capsized by a wall of water during a flood. Shows community flood preparations, pointing out that a flood's predictability usually allows ample warning time to save lives. Designed to stimulate discussion on civil preparedness for floods

Your Chance to Live: Nuclear Disaster

Portrays the challenges of creating a film about nuclear disaster amid public apathy. It captures behind-the-scenes moments as the crew discusses the gravity of nuclear threats, the importance of preparation, and the emotional impact of a nuclear attack. The narrative emphasizes the need for individuals to take responsibility for their safety and community in the event of an attack, blending factual information with a call to action.

Your Chance to Live: Pollution

A surrealistic look at the future if man does not learn to control pollution.

Your Chance to Live: Hurricane

Released by the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency in 1972, Your Chance to Live is a series of films which cover threatening events, from forest fires, to floods, tornadoes and nuclear disasters. Hurricane tells the story of two parents who revisit the beach town where their children were killed in a violent storm the previous summer.

Your Chance to Live: Heat Wave

The film highlights the dangers of extreme heat and the importance of staying hydrated and cool. It portrays a conversation between two friends, one of whom insists on playing basketball despite the oppressive heat. The narrative emphasizes that heat-related illnesses can be avoided by recognizing the body's signals and taking necessary precautions, such as drinking water and staying indoors. The film concludes with a report of record-breaking temperatures, underscoring the seriousness of heat exposure.

Your Chance to Live: An Instructor's Guide

The Defense Civil Preparedness Agency began an informational campaign in 1972 called Your Chance to Live. As part of the campaign, a series of films was released along with a companion book. Each installment covers a different disaster scenario, including tornadoes, blizzards, earthquakes, forest fires, blackouts and a nuclear disaster. The California Department of Education helped produce the films and hosted a workshop of educational professionals to discuss the best ways to present the desired emergency preparedness information to school age audiences. The process was filmed and assembled, along with clips from each production, and distributed as an Instructor's Guide in 1975.