Do You Follow the “Three Cs” of Defensive Driving?

This driver safety film seems to have been created for the Bell Telephone Company sometime in the 1960s to train the drivers of Bell’s repair vehicles regarding safe driving practices. While it’s amusing to look back at these somewhat corny company videos, there are plenty of driving tips in the film that remain important today. On the other hand, the video gets a little preachy on some of the safety points… who checks their headlights, taillights, and turn signals before pulling out of the driveway? Notice how he didn’t check the oil or coolant level? It’s surprising the car didn’t burst into flames as he pulled into the street.

The premise of this piece is a father who was killed in automobile accident and comes back as some sort of ghost to see the effect it’s had on his family. In the flashback, we return to his Bell driving safety meeting where the group is reminded of the “Three Cs” of defensive driving: Concentration, Control and Courtesy. But, it seems that at the end of the day, simply buckling a seatbelt would’ve saved his life and (spoiler alert) the life of his son. Where was that in his pre-driving checklist?