Produced by Aetna Casualty and Surety Company, this instructional film combines two shorter films titled “Passing Safely” and “How Alert a Driver Are You?” . The both date to the early 1950s and were made in collaboration with the Board of Education of New York City. These silent films feature instructional subtitles that guide the viewer through passing other vehicles safely and scenarios where a driver may need to suddenly execute an emergency stop. In both films, the viewer watches as the driver executes the instructions on rural tree lined roads and residential streets typical of 1950s suburbia in what is likely upstate New York.
Title page: “Passing Safely” (0:11). Opening credits (0:14). Passenger perspective of sitting behind a man at the steering wheel while he drives what is perhaps a 1950s Cadillac Convertible on a quiet suburban road (0:26). Driver indicates to the other car that he will make a pass (0:40). Driver passes what is perhaps 1950s Chrysler driving ahead of him (0:46). First hand perspective of passing a car on a typical 1950s residential suburban road (1:21). Attempting to pass a vehicle (2:04). Driver attempts to make a pass by what is perhaps a 1949 Mercury Coupe while on a hill (2:40). Driver attempts to pass a vehicle while rounding a curve on a tree-lined road (3:10). Driver attempts to pass a vehicle at an intersection (3:55). Driver demonstrates how to safely pass a bus as it stops for passengers (4:24). Driver demonstrates how to safely allow for another vehicle to pass him (4:41). Driver attempts to pass what is perhaps a 1950s Chrysler Sedan (4:57). Another attempt at passing a vehicle (5:59). Driver approaches a school bus on a rural road and attempts to pass it while it is stopped to pick up school kids (6:22). Driver allows for another vehicle to pass while on a two-way road (6:54). Another scenario where the driver should safely pass the sedan in front of it while on a rural road lined with telephone poles (7:07).
Title page: “How Alert A Driver Are You?” (7:55). Opening credits (8:00). Man wearing suit at the wheel of a convertible (8:13). Driver makes a sudden stop (8:22). Instructor drives alongside the student driver and tells him to make an emergency stop (8:45). Instructor measures how long it took for the car to stop from the time the brake was activated (9:30). Statistics displaying the average stopping distance depending on mph (9:47). Car makes a turn and a box flies from the trunk forcing the other driver to make a sudden stop (10:33). Perspective of the driver as he drives around residential suburban area (11:06). Driver makes a sudden stop at the sign of a pedestrian (11:13). Driver makes an abrupt stop to accommodate a station wagon pulling out of its driveway (11:28). Driver makes an abrupt stop to accommodate a car passing another car on a two-way street (11:57). Driver makes an abrupt stop for a passenger exiting into on-coming traffic from the driver’s side (12:16). Driver waits behind a car at a four-way intersection (12:42). Driver makes an abrupt stop when the car stops to say hi to a friendly neighbor (13:18).
Aetna Inc. is an American managed health care company that sells traditional and consumer directed health care insurance and related services. It is still in operation today and is a subsidiary of CVS Health.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
