movies_creation

American Movie Archives (美國電影檔案)

Title
Tomorrow's Drivers
Year
1954
Abstract
Socialization through driver education begins at a tender age in Phoenix.
Notes
Produced: Handy (Jam) Organization
Sponsor: Chevrolet Division, General Motors Corporation
Run Time: 10:58
Audio/Visual: Sd, B&W
Keyword
Car culture: Children;Automobiles: Advertising;Phoenix, Arizona;Automobiles: Advertising;Phoenix, Arizona
Theme
Tomorrow's Drivers
Review
This film portrays a unique driver's education program in the Phoenix, Arizona schools, where, it seems, driver's ed is considered to be the most important subject of all. Driver's ed starts in kindergarten, where the usual kiddie games are altered to teach traffic safety rules. In first grade, the kids play with toy cars, following a dizzying array of rules, and later in elementary school they are each assigned their own personal pedal car, which they drive on miniature streets with miniature traffic signs and real traffic. Violaters of rules are given tickets by kid traffic cops, and repeat offenders get their licenses suspeded. All this is supposed to create more responsible teen drivers when the kids finally reach 16. I guess it doesn't work too well, because they also show us in detail an "attitude class" juvenile traffic offenders must attend. This is a curious film––one wonders how long this program actually lasted. I don't need to tell you the film is narrated by Jimmy Stewart––you can't miss that voice.
(Reviewer: Christine Hennig)
Location
A/V room, 2/F