It took some time to master the art of car making. Sadly there were cars, even well into the 70s which would just explode. As popular family cars, these often had kids in them!
A prime example of this? The Ford Pinto. These cars could explode due to the terribly designed fuel tank. Forget about not using seat belts.
Cycling Without Helmets
Kids were certainly not driven around by their mothers and fathers in the '60s. They either had to walk or cycle, and cycling was the popular choice for sure. Just about every father taught their kid how to ride a bicycle. If they fell and scraped their knees, too bad.
If they fell on their heads, you guessed it, they had to suck it up too. Helmets became popularised much later, in fact, if you were seen with a helmet, you were probably a giant dork.
The Draft
One thing about the 1960s that is now unheard of, was the military draft. Young men of 18 years old would be drafted into the army to fight some of the world's toughest wars.
Today Americans who are 19-26 still have to make sure they register with the Selective Service System. But, thankfully, the draft doesn't exist the way it used to. Let's hope it stays that way.
Left at The Beach
You would think that at large public places like a beach, the safety concerns would be different. This is not the case. Whole families who would journey to the beach, wouldn't really keep an eye out on their kids. There were lifeguards for that. And the lifeguards were more like babysitters.
Of course, with the whole, 'kids run free' philosophy, kids were probably left to play on beaches long after the parents went home, depending on how far away they lived of course! Parents certainly weren't monsters.
No Safety Nets on Trampolines
Today this seems like a total hazard. Strangely back then, it didn't seem to faze parents that much. As you can imagine, they weren't short of injuries. If ever there was a trampoline in the neighborhood, all the kids would zoom over as fast as possible, only to come home limping and wailing from the all bruises.
As you can imagine, countless kids would suffer from broken arms, bumped heads and various sprains. Did it stop them? Not for a moment.