zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
TikTok’s ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ Song Was Written as a Railroad Safety PSA
TikTok’s ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ Song Was Written as a Railroad Safety PSA-October 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:58

If your TikTok feed is anything like mine, you’ve probably spent your weekend scrolling through , and in various risky situations. When those videos of skiers or other regular pop up, have you notice they’re all soundtracked by the same song? Well, prepare to have it stuck in your head once again, as we’re uncovering the history of “Dumb Ways to Die.”

You know the video format by now: Someone wades through a river and tries to pick up a snake, then the clip freezes and the words “dumb ways to die” flash up on screen,. It’s a perfect format that has, so far, covered everything from winter sport mishaps to people playing with deadly animals on the beach.

But do you know where that catchy little tune comes from? I didn’t, and having had it playing through my head all weekend, I figured it was time to find out. And, dear Jalopnik readers, it turns out the track was written as part of .

The film was created by Metro Trains in Melbourne, Australia. And while you might think its purpose is to stop people from picking up , it’s actually all about staying safe on the city’s railways.

The full three-minute track — and adorable accompanying video that you can see above — follows a group of jellybean-like creatures exploring the world around them. Along the way, each of them encounters an unfortunate end. Things like , inviting a psycho-killer inside or even dressing up like a moose during hunting season all warrant an early grave for the creatures.

After reeling off a whole heap of unlikely scenarios, like taking your helmet off in outer space, things get real. The song sings:

“Stand on the edge of a train station platform. Drive around the boom gates at a level crossing. Run across the tracks between the platforms.

“They may not rhyme but they’re quite possibly, the dumbest ways to die.”

That part of the song doesn’t usually make it onto TikTok, but it’s the whole reason it was written in the first place. It was penned to highlight the dangers of ignoring safety precautions around Melbourne’s railways. And by all accounts, it’s done a pretty good job at that in the years since.

Metro Trains reported a 30-percent reduction in near-miss incidents following the launch of this PSA campaign, and millions of people pledged to act more responsibly around railways.

On top of that, the campaign’s organizers also claim it’s the most-shared public safety film of all time, and it has so far racked up more than 275 million views on YouTube, as well as countless plays on TikTok as well. Admittedly, most of those TikTok posts aren’t exactly what you’d call safety-oriented, but at least we know the origin of this incredibly catchy song now.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Subaru Had It Right All Along
Subaru Had It Right All Along
When first came to the United States, it sold small funky cars that were decidedly un-American. As the company grew its own identity and became more established in the U.S., it became the first automaker to offer an all-wheel-drive passenger car in 1975. Subaru was also an early-adopter of...
Oct 30, 2024
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
closed its São Bernardo Plant in November 2023, marking the end of its first overseas production facility. The closure caps off a period of continuous car production in São Paolo, , lasting over 60 years. The plant was home to a Komatsu 700-ton press that predates itself. And now...
Oct 30, 2024
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
MotorWeek’s is some of the on the internet. The long-running automotive news magazine has a treasure trove of tests after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you find detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten cars like the or a ? MotorWeek’s recent Retro Review upload is...
Oct 30, 2024
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I have two automotive loves: The first is the Miata, the second is off-road racing. For a while I raced air-cooled Volkswagens in the deserts of California and Nevada and I was lucky enough to co-drive in a class 11 stock bug in the Baja 1000 a few years...
Oct 30, 2024
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
At long last, we are about to get behind the wheel of for the first time. Sure, , and sure, , and sure , but hey — what can you do? Anyway, before we get behind the wheel of this three-row electric beast, we want to know what you...
Oct 30, 2024
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I love tiny, of . I have a that is roughly half the size of a normal cat, and she’s perfect. I own a 2013 , which is like the miniature version of a normal-sized vehicle (at least here in Texas) — but beyond that, I also own a Hot...
Oct 30, 2024
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved