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Footage unearthed from the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is the earliest known video of a road traffic accident in the country – and bizarrely, it comes as part of a biscuit promo. The silent documentary from the 1920s, including the accident clip dating back to 1905, depicts a man getting hit by a huge horse as he crosses the road, sending him flying. Remember – always look both ways.
The unfortunate man was coming out of the Swallow & Ariell's sea-biscuit factory in a suburb of Melbourne and was reportedly part of the promo they were shooting. Whether it be the dazzle of potential stardom or just a mistake, the man prances out onto the road before being hit by a horse in full gallop. There is limited information on the accident, but Bloomberg reports that the man “sustained a severe head injury”, calling to question why the clip was included as a finisher to sell biscuits.
Despite the strange circumstances, the clip represents the earliest traffic accident in Australia’s history that was caught on film, and likely one of the earliest taped accidents ever.
