The Cost of Carelessness
By 
Tonight’s film is far less scary than the Tom Price mustache of the previous post’s image. It’s the 1913 early traffic safety film The Cost of Carelessness. I like this film very much. I’ve used it in class many times and inevitably the students crack up in the second half. If you like comic scenes of kids getting run over by trains but somehow surviving without injury, this is the film for you. I’ve sometimes feared that everyone will start laughing, including me, and some student will say “my sister was killed by a car.” And that would suck. It hasn’t happened and the possibility has not stopped me from using this film. It’s kind of awesome and a great look into early 20th century New York and early 20th century issues around transportation in the city. This version on YouTube doesn’t have sound. So put on some tunes, sit back, and watch some old timey traffic safety films.