A convoy of road safety recordings
21 May 2026
A look back at the art of the road safety film, from the 1950s to the 2000s.
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Hero image: a screenshot from F283365, NZ Transport Authority. Ghost Chips.
Since at least the 1950s, public safety films, newsreels and TV commercials have been important tools for reducing car accidents in Aotearoa New Zealand. Writers and directors have tried a wide variety of audiovisual approaches to encourage safer driving over the decades, from the informative to the comedic to the confronting. Here we take a look back at the art of the road safety film, starting with some early ones that few people today will have seen before.
A lot of those early road safety recordings were made by Wellington's Pacific Films. Safe driving was of course a focus back then, though a surprising range of driving-related issues were discussed. These included sleepiness, drink-driving, and driving in a smooth and steady fashion. And while no one was called a 'bloody idiot', the outcomes of reckless driving were clearly shown – some theatrically dramatic, others light-hearted and silly.
We also care for many of the hard-hitting and graphic road safety commercials from the 1990s if you wish to revisit some fairly confronting viewing (‘it’s the same day, David’). And of course, we are delighted to be able to share 2011’s Ghost Chips by permission of the depositor – see the end of this story.
Road Safety Highway Experiment (1955)
Pacific Films had a special focus on safe motoring during the 1950s. Road design and road safety enforcement are at the heart of this Pacific Magazine newsreel from 1955. Safe cambers are trialled on the ‘Guinea Pig’ highway between Porirua and Wanganui, as are road markings … and courtesy cards for drivers to suggest road safety improvements. A new technology is the ‘microwave radar detector’ – an early ‘speed gun’. In the clip, speeding drivers are pursued by the ‘flying squad’ of traffic patrol cars and dramatic music.
The Lost Second (1955)
The Lost Second is a clip from another Pacific Magazine that focuses on reaction times, judgement… and the effects of a few beers. Bert is driving around but feels tired (‘Monday morning, a hard weekend in the garden and all that’). He makes a few mistakes but heads home, while George continues drinking on an empty stomach. With reaction times impaired, ‘You could lose a whole second and not even notice.’ Clip starts at 06.21.
Nine Lives (1955)
In Nine Lives (1955), actor Jimmy Morgan puts in a serious effort playing more than ten different roles! And each of them has an excuse for their speed when they’re pulled over by the traffic officer. ‘Give some people a powerful car and they speed just for the sake of speeding.’
They Drive with Their Boots Off (1955)
To quote They Drive with Their Boots Off (1955): ‘for the thousands of drivers who crowd the holiday highways of New Zealand, intelligent attentive driving will win them the most valuable prize of all – a safe journey and a longer life.’ This film sends 42 models of car on a special drive from Wellington to Auckland, promoting road safety and testing fuel efficiency. The outcome? ‘Driving by the book you use less petrol and no one gets hurt.’
Beating the Clock (1955)
Kiwi bloke Bert (Jimmy Morgan once again!) loves a good sleep-in and has to hurry to get to the office on time. Beating the Clock (1955) tracks his hair-raising journey across the capital and that of another Kiwi in a rush. 'The automobile can be a killing weapon,' this clip warns.
Skellerup Road Safety School Coats (1965)
Perhaps a simple way for pedestrians to avoid accidents could be to wear the correct clothing. This advert for the Skellerup Road Safety School Coat shows the jacket’s reflective waistband and includes tips for wearers (‘Remember – Keep on the footpath’).
Ghost Chips (2011)
In 2011, the New Zealand Transport Authority took a chance on a change of tone and nailed it. Ghost Chips (official titled Legend) was aimed specifically at young Māori males and used humour, rather than horror, to normalise speaking up about drink driving. It quickly became one of New Zealand’s most successful commercials, and was widely credited with helping young people talk to their peers about a serious subject. “Bro, you know I can’t grab your ghost chips” – a line from the advertisement – became an iconic phrase. There’s even a parody song.
A Twinkle in King Dick's Eye (1985)
Finally, if you do want to check out some motoring carnage, this Roger Donaldson-directed commercial from 1985 has plenty of light-hearted action.
This is an updated version of a story that was first published in 2021.