12 Public Service Announcements That Were Straight-Up Terrifying
These PSAs didn't just inform — they haunted, shocked, and sometimes traumatized viewers into paying attention.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Public service announcements are meant to educate, but some take a darker route — using fear, shock, or guilt to drive the point home. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, agencies around the world produced a wave of PSAs that leaned into psychological horror to warn viewers about drugs, road safety, smoking, and more. These disturbing yet unforgettable messages prove that sometimes, the only way to save a life is to scare it straight.
1. “Charlie” – British Central Office of Information (1970s–80s)
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Voiced by the eerie growls of Kenny Everett, Charlie the cat warned kids about dangers like strangers and matches. His owner, a small boy, interpreted the cat’s meows with a detached calm that only made things more unsettling. The scratchy animation and harsh tones made sure you’d never forget to “tell your mummy” about a suspicious man.
2. “Apaches” – UK Agricultural Safety PSA (1977)
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Disguised as a children’s adventure, Apaches shows a group of kids playing on a farm — until one by one, they die in horrifying accidents. Tractors crush, chemicals poison, and the narration keeps going as if it’s all part of a regular day. It feels more like a psychological thriller than a farm safety video.
3. “Dark and Lonely Water” – British Safety Council (1973)
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Donald Pleasence’s voice whispers through the fog as a hooded Grim Reaper lurks near bodies of water, waiting for careless children. The low-budget effects somehow make it worse — there’s no escape from the quiet, creeping death. It’s not just a warning; it’s a haunting.
4. “The House Hippo” – Concerned Children’s Advertisers, Canada (1999)
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This one starts off adorable — a tiny house hippo snacking on toast crumbs — but the twist comes hard. The PSA flips the cozy image on its head, telling kids not to believe everything they see on TV. That sudden shift from whimsy to warning made young minds question everything.
5. “This is Your Brain on Drugs” – Partnership for a Drug-Free America (1987)
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A calm voice explains what happens to your brain on drugs; then suddenly, a frying pan smashes an egg. The kitchen gets destroyed in a rage of pots, pans, and shouting. It’s burned into the memory of anyone who watched it: drugs equal chaos.
6. “Every Time You Speed, You Put Someone’s Life in Your Hands” – TAC, Australia (2001)
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The ad shows people in slow motion, just before impact — drivers, pedestrians, and children. It’s quiet, almost reverent, with a voiceover that breaks your heart: “every time you speed…” The eerie calm makes the moment of death feel all too close.
7. “Smoking Kid” – Thailand Health Promotion Foundation (2012)
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Two kids walk up to adult smokers and ask for a light. The adults, visibly disturbed, refuse and tell them how dangerous smoking is — then the kids hand them a note: “You worry about me. Why not about yourself?” The shame cuts deeper than any graphic lung image could.
8. “Embrace Life” – Sussex Safer Roads (2010)
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A man sits in his car. His wife and daughter, without touching him, mime out a seatbelt with their arms. The silent beauty and sudden crash play like a dream, and the message lingers in your bones.
9. “Meth: Not Even Once” – Montana Meth Project (2005–2009)
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These spots don’t pull punches. A girl claws her own skin, a boy robs his mom, and everything is filmed in washed-out gray. You feel like you’re watching a horror film — and that’s the point.
10. “Think! Cow” – UK Department for Transport (2008)
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A woman’s voice calmly describes how long it takes a speeding car to stop — and suddenly, a cow smashes into the windshield with a jarring scream. It’s not just shocking, it’s grotesque. The gore isn’t what stays with you — it’s the casual delivery of death.
11. “Children See, Children Do” – NAPCAN, Australia (2006)
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Kids copy every move of the adults around them — yelling, hitting, smoking, swearing. The PSA plays out in parallel, showing the adult and child side by side. By the end, it’s not anger you feel — it’s shame.
12. “The Crash” – Ireland Road Safety Authority (2007)
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A mother drives a car full of children, all laughing — then comes a brutal crash, where heads snap and glass shatters. It’s so sudden, so realistic, that it doesn’t feel like fiction. The silence after the impact is louder than the crash itself.