American REACTS to SHOCKING British PSAs // Can't Believe They Showed That

For anybody fretting, this will not become a reaction channel so please don't worry!

I always remember the PSA about hitting a child with a car at 30mph means 90% will live. Hitting a child at 40mph means 90% will not.

The psa I won’t ever forget is the Christmas one showing real video clips taken by families of little boys playing, children opening presents, a shy little girl smiling up at the camera, cuddling up with teddies and siblings on the sofa…and finding out at the end that every adorable little girl and boy in the film had been killed shortly afterwards by drunk drivers.

Most of the ads in the video aren't PSAs, they're Advertisements for charities, such as Barnardo's, the St John Ambulance Red Cross, etc. British advertising is the best in the world, and the production values are definitely the reason why campaigns to get people to wear seatbelts, not drink drive, etc, have been so effective in the UK.

The "I am a crisis" actress is Amy Watson, and she lost her 49 rear old mother to cancer a few months before making that advertisement for the Red Cross. Not the only complication in her life. She was born in Vancouver, and when her mother returned to Scotland after her relationship broke up, Amy and her brother and sister came with her (another sister remained in Canada). So I guess Amy knew well enough how a crisis can appear from nowhere. The dog was called Chive by the way and was not as sinister as its appearance...

I remember a PSA that showed a child sitting on the stairs and watching his mother being beaten up. Every time she was hit, he jumped. I later became a domestic violence specialist, dealing with abused mothers with children. Even babies feel the effects of the terror.

When I think of British PSA’s it always reminds me of the “Charlie Says” series. They are not quite as hard hitting as the ones you watched, but as a child they certainly got the message across.

I always remember in the UK the PSA about Don't Play With Fireworks made in the 1970's that would be broadcasted for years. Every November 5th time for Guy Fawkes these PSAs would appear, even on the BBC (which doesn't show adverts). Some grim shots of people enjoying the event and then a girl getting her hands unspeakably injured when she picks up a used sparkler. Probably more horrifying as taking a joyful, fun occasion and bringing in the doom...Yup, the firework ones are really disturbing.

# 2 was played by British actress Dame Emma Thompson she has appeared in many films, television programmes and stage productions. She has won and been nominated for many awards during her career, including five Academy Award nominations (winning two), nine Golden Globe Award nominations (winning two), seven BAFTA Award nominations (winning three), and six Emmy Award nominations (winning one).

For a really shocking PSA you need to watch Northern Ireland don't drink and drive ads. My god they're hardcore!

As a child growing up in the 1970s in the UK I was probably most traumatised by the "protect & survive" series on what to do if there was a nuclear attack. With later trauma added by When the Wind Blows (1986)

UK television messages must be a lot more hard-hitting than the ones in the USA. You looked genuinely shocked and upset at some of them. Which I suppose means they have served their purpose of warning against the risk highlighted in each film. The AIDS adverts voiced by John Hurt, decades ago, showing gravestones etc stick in the mind. This was genuinely a great video by you.

“Text to save the boy” was very clever, it gave life saving, first aid advice to anyone who text the number and you were able to see how to save the boy in this scenario.

From 1973, PIF: "The Spirit Of Dark And Lonely Water"; powerful.

As a child who grew up in rural UK, we were shown the PSA "Apaches" trying to teach us about being safe on farms. Basically 5 kids play on a farm, one by one they all meet a grizzly end. The worst being the kid who fell in the slurry pit

I remember Tufty the Squirrel in the 1960's also about road saftey for kids, Made me walk to the kerb stop look right , look left, then look right again. I used to walk to school by myself...inLondon...aged 4 , can you imagine that these days ?

I'm pretty sure I've seen a drink drive ad before. Everytime I saw it, it felt like the whole world stopped for 30 seconds. Chilling

Technically most of these are NOT Public Service announcements, they are adverts for various different charities. I was a volunteer with St John Ambulance. Retired now, but I can still remember the most important bits. P.S St John Ambulance, not St John's Ambulance :)

I don't think you'll forget these. Please do learn First Aid, I hope you never need use it, but the knowledge could save a life

One thing about the last psa...the dad isn’t in the next birthday scene