History YMMV / LastClearChance

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The movie's melodramatic tone has caused it to age poorly. While at the time of its release it was lauded as a sober lesson about driving safety in the early 1950s, the excessively maudlin elements of its plot have caused it to become comedic to modern audiences who were raised on [[ScareEmStraight far more brutal safety films]] like the later ''Film/Signal30'' and ''Film/RedAsphalt''.

* TwistEnding: The short makes it seem like new driver Alan will die despite Hal's best efforts to educate him. It's actually his older brother, Frank Jr.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The movie's melodramatic tone has caused it to age poorly. While at the time of its release it was lauded as a sober lesson about driving safety in the early 1950s, the excessively maudlin elements of its plot have caused it to become comedic to modern audiences who were raised on [[ScareEmStraight far more brutal safety films]] like the later ''Film/SignalThirty'' and ''Film/RedAsphalt''.

* WhatAnIdiot: Frank Jr. dies and nearly kills his fiancée because they literally pull in front of Alan, refuse to look at the road while waving at him, and somehow don't notice him clearly telling them about the train they're about to run into. A bizarre ending when the short was trying to impress upon the viewer about ''normal'' incidents of traffic safety failures that are more typical of fatal accidents.

* BrokenAesop: While Trooper Hal's message is that most accidents are caused by small mistakes, the fatal collision occurs because of over-the-top idiocy which could easily have put Frank Jr. into the ditch long before he met the train.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: People still die due to boneheaded maneuvers on the road, so while the film utterly fails in its delivery of its message, the message itself is valid.

** Watching your brother driving obliviously towards the train tracks while you futilely try to warn him of the danger.

* TwistEnding: The short makes it seem like Alan will bite it, not Frank Jr.
* TheUntwist: It's pretty clear something bad is going to happen to somebody before this film is over. After all, the short starts outside of a cemetery!

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The movie's melodramatic tone has caused it to age poorly. While at the time of its release it was lauded as a sober lesson about driving safety in the early 1950s, the excessively maudlin elements of its plot have caused it to become comedic to modern audiences who were raised on [[ScareEmStraight far more brutal safety films]] like the later ''Signal 30'' and ''Red Asphalt''.

* SeinfieldIsUnfunny: The movie's melodramatic tone has caused it to age poorly. While at the time of its release it was lauded as a sober lesson about driving safety in the early 1950s, the excessively maudlin elements of its plot have caused it to become comedic to modern audiences who were raised on [[ScareEmStraight far more brutal safety films]] like the later ''Signal 30'' and ''Red Asphalt''.

** SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: Then again, people still die due to boneheaded maneuvers on the road, so while the film utterly fails in its delivery of its message, the message itself is valid.

* NightmareFuel: Watching your brother driving obliviously towards the train tracks while you futilely try to warn him of the danger.

* TwistEnding: However, the short makes it seem like Alan will bite it, not Frank Jr.
* ValuesDissonance: The movie's melodramatic tone has caused it to age poorly. While at the time of its release it was lauded as a sober lesson about driving safety in the early 1950s, the excessively maudlin elements of its plot have caused it to become comedic to modern audiences who were raised on [[ScareEmStraight far more brutal safety films]] like the later ''Signal 30'' and ''Red Asphalt''.

* WhatAnIdiot: Frank Jr. and Betty die because they literally pull in front of Alan, refuse to look at the road while waving at him, and somehow don't notice him clearly telling them about the train they're about to run into. A bizarre ending when the short was trying to impress upon the viewer about ''normal'' incidents of traffic safety failures that are more typical of fatal accidents.

* ValuesDissonance: The movie's melodramatic tone has caused it to age poorly. While at the time of its release it was lauded as a sober lesson about driving safety in the early 1950s, the excessively maudlin elements of its plot have caused it to become comedic to modern audiences who were raised on [[ScareEmStraight far more brutal safety films]] like the later ''Red Asphalt''.

* {{Anvilicious}}: The short is hilariously unsubtle and unashamedly ScareEmStraight. However...
** SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: As is stated under TruthInTelevision, people still do intensely stupid things in traffic to this day, and this is a lesson that needs to be taught.

* SoOkayItsAverage: By the standards of many old 50s short educational films at least. It sill has its moments of {{Narm}} and {{Glurge}}, but it’s message about safe driving [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped and how it’s still as relevant now as it was back then]] edges it enough to be above most of these shorts.

** TwistEnding: However, the short makes it seem like Alan will bite it, not Frank Jr.
* ValuesResonance: Surprisingly so, as its message about safe driving and the many dangers that it listed (such as drowsy driving, not paying attention, being in a hurry, etc.), are just as much of a problem today as they were in the 50’s.
* WhatAnIdiot: And we mean that – Frank Dixon Jr. and his hottie girlfriend, Betty Hutchins, waving carefree back at Frank's younger brother, Alan … failing to pay attention to the road in front of them in the first place, but then it becomes deadly when they are so inattentive they are unable to hear the oncoming train … and needless to say, there is the ultimate price to pay. But there are multiple other examples of idiocy – failing to obey stop and yield signs, passing in a no passing zone, driving too fast. And of course, the main theme of this movie … failing to observe safe driving rules around railroad crossings.

* ValuesResonance: Surprisingly so, as its message about safe driving and the many dangers listed here (such as drowsy driving, not paying attention, being in a hurry, etc.), are just as much of a problem today as they were in the 50’s.

** Made worse when you find out that the short is based on the experiences of an actual family

* {{Anvilicious}}

* WhatAnIdiot: And we mean that – Frank Dixon Jr. and his hottie girlfriend, Betty Hutchins, waving carefree back at Frank's younger brother, Alan … failing to pay attention to the road in front of them in the first place, but then it becomes deadly when they are so inattentive they are unable to hear the oncoming train … and needless to say, there is the ultimate price to pay. But there are multiple other examples of idiocy – failing to obey stop and yield signs, passing in a no passing zone, driving too fast. And of course, the main theme of this movie … failing to observe safe driving rules around railroad crossings.

* {{Anvillicious}}

** [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped]]: As is stated under TruthInTelevision, people still do intensely stupid things in traffic to this day, and this is a lesson that needs to be taught.
* {{Glurge}}: Listen to Trooper Hal or you'll die. Horribly.

* {{Glurge}}: Listen to Trooper Hal or you'll die. Horribly.

* TheUntwist: It's pretty clear something bad is going to happen to somebody before this film is over.
** "Pretty clear"? The short starts outside of a cemetery!

* TheUntwist: It's pretty clear something bad is going to happen to somebody before this film is over.

* CrowningMomentOfFunny
-->'''Cop:''' "You know son, 40% of all accidents..."
-->'''Servo:''' (as kid) "OH SHUT UP will ya!"

* TheUntwist: As Crow says, "I have a feeling one of these characters is going to get to see what their own intestines look like!"