Our Favorite 1970s Public Service Announcement Are Surreal

The 1970s were a deeply strange time. The U.S. was at the tail end of a lost war, the President wept on TV and quit his job, Three Mile Island almost melted down and "Jaws" came out. A lot was going on. It's no wonder that so many PSAs were dedicated to making sure you didn't take your frustration with the world with you behind the wheel.

There's something really special about public safety announcements from the 1970s. They were all just so, I don't know, weird. There are hundreds, if not thousands of them, and many share the same messages. However, they all find very unique, and almost surreal, ways of conveying their messaging.

For whatever reason over the past few days my social media feeds have been inundated with old PSA that usually have to do with being bad behind the wheel of a car. Because of that, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at some of my favorite automotive-related PSAs from the 1970s. There's a lot of very strange stuff in here, so buckle up (there is indeed a PSA about wearing your seatbelt).

We're starting off strong here. We're getting a ride with a real-life "drunken driver." Okay, this guy probably isn't drunk, but his near misses with pedestrians and other cars, teamed with the foreboding narration really make this one-minute video a spectacle to behold.

Why aren't their licenses taken away before they kill someone? The narrator doesn't know, and neither do I. It's on the rest of us to stop drunk driving.

This is the video that inspired it all. It popped up on my TikTok and I quickly fell down a rabbit hole. Overall, it's pretty run-of-the-mill: don't give your kids the chance to run away with your car. I've just got one question: why is the column shifter so stiff? Both the kid and the mom have a real hard time moving it. What's going on here?

This is my type of guy. I'm glad to know the bro science of "if I eat food I won't be as drunk" has been around for decades. Also, look at that meal. This guy is probably a solid at this point. I cannot imagine what his caloric intake is. Sure, he looks like he's 80, but that guy is probably 32-years-old.

This video contains some of my favorite transitions of all time. The way these folks are just chilling and then we see the scariest pictures ever of them in full-body casts is just hilarious. It's an important message, though. Wear your seatbelts you goobers.

No, lady from the 1970s. I will not ride a bike. It is raining and cold out, plus bikes are communist. Everyone should be in a car.

Being a trucker has never been easy, but it looks even more difficult in this 28-minute-long PSA about what their lives are like. Honestly, I would like to be out on the open road, causing down the interstate right about now. Seems like a pretty alright life if ya ask me.

A "Star Wars" PSA about drunk driving could be one of the most 1970s-specific videos in our history. Bask in its glory.

Also, are you telling me Han Solo was never drunk while piloting the Millennium Falcon? I'm sorry, but that is just impossible to believe. He's a scoundrel after all, and that's what scoundrels do!

Stop telling me not to drive!!!! I need to drive!!!! Mass transit isn't good enough for me. My lungs will be fine, actually. Also, what in the name of God is that guy's haircut? Some barber really fucked him up.

I'm not sure what the purpose of this PSA is. It sort of just feels like a list of ways to make sure your kid isn't annoying when you cram them in the back of your station wagon for a cross-country road trip. I've got a secret for you: the kids will be annoying no matter what you do. It's best to just ignore them.

Okay, so I totally get this, but hear me out: loud motorcycles are actually cooler. How will I let people know I'm rippin' on my hog if I've got quiet exhaust pipes? It's just un-American. That being said, making your slogan Be A MAN is absolutely hilarious. Smart move by these folks.

There's like three guys who are ruining driving for everyone else. They must be stopped. Also, I absolutely love this School House Rock-style animation about killing people behind the wheel.

I'm sorry. You are the one who added too much water to a kettle and didn't put the lid on correctly while also being on a boat. Unfortunately, you deserve to get blown up. I don't make the rules, I just enforce them.