TRAINING HELPS TO SAVE LIVES: CASE STUDY

How Our Training Videos Helped Clients Improve Safety on the Road

Wahoo Films is committed to making a positive impact on communities and we’ve seen firsthand how educational tools like training videos can transform not only how companies operate but also how they improve the world around them. A great example of this is our partnership with local organizations focused on road safety. One of our recent training videos, "Infrastructure for People Walking," was designed to teach drivers in Oregon how to safely navigate crosswalks and be more aware of people walking, particularly those who might need extra time or space to cross. The video was part of an educational training series for the Oregon Friendly Driver training course. (oregonfriendlydriver.org) 

This case study explores how our training video helped our clients save time, reduce accidents, and ultimately foster safer, more considerate driving behaviors—all while delivering tangible results.

The Challenge: Ensuring Pedestrian Safety in Oregon’s Busy Streets

In Oregon, like many states, pedestrians share the road with vehicles—sometimes on busy streets, with little more than a crosswalk to separate them from moving traffic. But as simple as it sounds, making sure people crossing safely requires more than just a set of traffic lights. It requires active awareness and responsible driving habits, especially when the people walking might be elderly, disabled, or visually impaired.

The challenge was clear: how can we ensure that drivers not only see people walking but understand when to stop and how to give them the space they need to cross the road safely? With many accidents involving people who drive and people walking, it was clear that a training tool was needed to drive the message home.

The Solution: Bringing Pedestrian Safety to Life Through Expert Video Production

Our video production team transformed complex pedestrian safety concepts into compelling, crystal-clear training content. Through strategic filming techniques and professional production values, we created a training video that keeps drivers engaged while effectively teaching critical safety protocols.

We elevated each learning objective through carefully crafted production elements:

Dynamic Aerial Perspectives Our drone footage provided powerful bird's-eye views of crosswalk scenarios, giving drivers a comprehensive understanding of both marked and unmarked crosswalks. These unique angles helped illustrate complex concepts like pedestrian intent that are difficult to grasp from ground level alone.

Strategic Camera Positioning With the help of local actors, we utilized multiple camera angles and perspectives to demonstrate key safety concepts. For instance, to show why drivers shouldn't pass stopped vehicles at crosswalks, we filmed from inside vehicles to viscerally demonstrate how stopped cars can obstruct views of people walking. This first-person perspective makes the danger immediate and memorable.

Strategic Script Design for Maximum Retention Our script development team broke down complex traffic regulations into clear, bite-sized segments. Rather than overwhelming viewers with lengthy explanations, we crafted concise, focused narratives averaging 3 minutes per concept. This strategic scripting approach ensured that critical safety behaviors—like proper stopping distances and right-of-way rules for people walking or biking—were immediately understandable and memorable for busy drivers.

Professional Narrative Flow Rather than rely on dry voiceover, we carefully structured the narrative to build engagement. We opened with the attention-grabbing concept that every corner is a potential crosswalk in Oregon, emphasized by a compelling voice talent.  We also provided these videos with a Spanish speaking voice over. 

High-Impact Visual Demonstrations We brought abstract concepts to life through clear visual demonstrations. When explaining how pedestrians signal crossing intent, we captured detailed footage of someone extending a cane into the crosswalk. For vulnerable pedestrian scenarios, we filmed authentic interactions showing proper driver responses to elderly or disabled people walking.

Cinematic Quality That Maintains Focus Our production team balanced cinematic appeal with educational clarity. While the footage is visually engaging, we kept the focus squarely on the learning objectives. Each shot was composed to highlight specific safety behaviors, from proper stopping distances to full pedestrian clearance.

By combining these professional production elements, we created training content that doesn't just inform—it influences behavior and creates lasting impact. The high production values reflect the seriousness of the subject matter while keeping drivers engaged throughout the learning process.

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The Results: Improved Safety and Awareness

After the training video was distributed to our clients, we saw tangible improvements in both driver behavior and overall pedestrian safety in the areas covered by the campaign. Here’s how our training videos made a difference:

1. Better Educated Drivers

Our clients reported that the data collected from drivers who watch the training video score higher on testing after watching the video, which shows they know more about how to be a safe driver on the road with people walking and biking.

2. More Courteous Driving Behavior

We also heard feedback from the community about how drivers were becoming more patient and courteous, particularly toward vulnerable pedestrians. Drivers were more likely to stop and wait until pedestrians had fully crossed the street, creating a safer environment for everyone on the road.

3. Stronger Public Trust and Safety Awareness

By providing drivers with this important information, our clients not only improved safety but also demonstrated their commitment to the community. The training video gave drivers the tools they needed to understand the importance of pedestrian rights, which fostered trust and a sense of responsibility.

4. More Efficient Outreach

The training video also proved to be an efficient tool for reaching a broad audience. By using a video format, our clients were able to distribute important information to large groups of drivers, which ensured that the message reached as many people as possible—whether they were viewing the video at home, at work, in the classroom, or as part of a public service campaign.

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Why Training Videos Are Essential for Social Impact

This case study highlights the power of well-crafted training videos to address important social issues like road safety. When combined with clear visuals, effective narration, and real-world examples, a training video can significantly change behaviors, reduce accidents, and foster a safer community.

Whether it’s a traffic safety campaign, a workplace training program, or any other initiative that requires a large-scale education effort, training videos offer a simple yet highly effective solution.

Special thanks to the team at Commute Options (commuteoptions.org), for spearheading the project and collaborating with us to produce the ongoing video training series.

At Wahoo Films, we’re proud to create educational tools that not only help our clients succeed but also contribute to the well-being of the communities they serve.

To learn more about how our training videos can make a positive impact for your organization, visit us at wahoofilms.com/contact.
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Together, we can help build safer, more informed communities—one video at a time.

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