Back in the 70s, kids had a kind of freedom that feels almost unthinkable today. Parents would throw you out of the house in the morning and you could do whatever you wanted for the entire day. But sometimes the things you wanted to do were actually incredibly dangerous, as this list shows.
Riding in Cars Without Seatbelts
Seat belts in cars didn’t become mandatory until 1984, if you can believe that. Before then, it was perfectly common for kids to ride in the car without being buckled in. And yes, unfortunately, it’s very likely there were preventable deaths because of this.
Being Out Until Dark With No Supervision
Kids in the ‘70s had a freedom that kids of today would barely be able to believe. You were actively encouraged to stay out of the house all day and ride your bike around the neighborhood, meeting other kids and having fun. Stranger danger put an end to that.
Playing With Jarts
Jarts were lawn darts with spikes on the end, and it’s amazing they lasted as long as they did. They were incredibly dangerous. After a little girl was sadly killed by one, her grief-stricken parents sought to ban the toy, and eventually they succeeded.
Running Behind the Mosquito Fogger Truck
This was an absolutely terrible idea and yet so many kids did it. When the mosquito fogger truck came around, spewing its toxic smoke, kids would run behind it… getting all those chemicals in their lungs. Parents either didn’t notice or didn’t care. Thankfully, they do now.
High-Up Metal Jungle Gyms
The ‘70s playground looks more like a kiddie-themed torture chamber to the concerned parent of today. Jungle gyms were built high, and it was common for kids to climb to the top of them and jump off. There was also nothing stopping them from banging their head against the bars.
Trampolines
Kids in the ‘70s just really loved to jump. If you were lucky enough to have a trampoline back then, it wouldn’t come with any safety nets, and broken bones were common. A lot of parents these days won’t let their kids jump on a trampoline at all.
Jumping off the Swing
Kids these days don’t understand the simple pleasure of the swing. You’d push yourself higher and higher and higher, maybe dreaming of looping around the bars (nope, you can’t do that) and once you reached the highest point, you’d jump off. A good way to sprain an ankle.
Sledding Without a Helmet
When the snow came and schools were closed, you could grab a sled and hurl yourself down the nearest hill. It was fun but oh so dangerous, because no-one was wearing a helmet. If you crashed into a tree, you could get very serious injuries.
Skateboarding
Another one that kids did without wearing a helmet. Skateboarding is actually pretty dangerous – that’s one of the reasons kids liked it so much! – and injuries caused by the activity were very common in the ‘70s.
Firecrackers
It was easy in the ‘70s for a kid to get hold of firecrackers, and did they use them responsibly? No they did not. Kids would throw them at each other and dodge out of the way, laughing as they went. That’s a good way to get yourself burned, or to start a life-threatening fire.
BB Guns
BB guns were popular in the ‘70s, but they were so dangerous. Kids would literally fire them at each other and you could lose an eye that way. These days, a lot of parents won’t let their kid go anywhere near a BB gun, and it’s hard to disagree with them.
Climbing Trees
Once upon a time, the whole world was a playground, and trees were the jungle gym. Kids took it as a challenge to climb the highest tree in the neighborhood, and unfortunately they easily fell off and got injured. This is another thing you just don’t get anymore.
Drinking From the Garden Hose
To a child, a drinking hose is a water fountain. So if you were thirsty in the height of summer and the hose was on, you’d just drink from the hose. That was a good way to get yourself sick, and parents make sure their kid doesn’t do it these days.
Playing on Construction Sites
In the ‘70s it wasn’t uncommon for kids to sneak onto construction sites and play in the exciting new environment. Obviously, this was incredibly dangerous when you consider all the half-finished walls and heavy-duty equipment, and these days adults are very careful to drill the dangers of construction sites into children’s heads.
Carrying Pocketknives
In the 70s, older kids carried pocketknives as handy tools they could use for cutting rope and the like. Of course, they were also used when fights broke out. ‘70s movies will remind you of what a disaster it was to allow kids to carry knives.
