Watchly Safety Review

Turtles or Snakes- Which Do Cars Swerve to Hit More?

0:53 · 277.9M views · September 27, 2024

Minor FlagsReviewed June 2026

5Minor Flags

This video presents a real-world experiment testing whether drivers intentionally swerve to hit rubber animals on the road, finding that 6% of drivers did attempt to run over the fake creatures. While the experiment uses fake animals and presents data in an educational format, it does expose children to the disturbing reality that some people deliberately harm animals.

Content Breakdown · 5 Categories

Bullying, Cruelty & DiscriminationA little

The video discusses drivers intentionally swerving to hit animals on the road, which represents cruelty to animals. However, the experiment uses rubber/fake animals, and the creator frames this as a scientific observation to test a hypothesis. The tone is more investigative than glorifying. The phrase 'cold blooded rubber animal killers' acknowledges the cruelty but in a somewhat lighthearted way. No discrimination based on identity is present.

See evidence (3)

“turtles get intentionally run over by drivers”beginning

“cold blooded rubber animal killers”mid-video

“6% are cold blooded rubber animal killers”

Toxic Behavior ModelingA little

The video documents drivers intentionally swerving to hit what they believe are animals on the road, which is toxic behavior. However, the creator is observing and documenting this behavior rather than performing it themselves, and uses rubber animals rather than real ones. The framing is investigative/educational rather than glorifying. The concern is that young viewers might not fully grasp the ethical implications or might be desensitized to animal cruelty. The phrase 'hope in humanity is at least a little restored' suggests the creator disapproves of the behavior.

See evidence (3)

“6% are cold blooded rubber animal killers”mid-to-end

“Of those 90% were trucks and SUV”

“Only about 10% of the time was it a car that did the squish”

Low-Quality, Extreme & Stunt ContentA little

The video presents a social experiment that tests human behavior in a somewhat provocative way. While not extreme in execution (using rubber animals, observing from safe distance), the premise of testing whether drivers intentionally hit animals could be considered stunt-like or designed for shock value. However, it's presented as legitimate research with data collection rather than pure entertainment.

See evidence (2)

“I once ran my own experiment to find out”beginning

“after hours of counting thousands of cars”mid-video

Realistic Violence, Threats & WeaponsA little

While the content discusses intentional harm to animals (running them over), the context is an experiment using rubber/fake animals, not real ones. The framing is scientific/observational rather than glorifying violence. The phrase 'cold blooded rubber animal killers' is used somewhat playfully. This is minimal concern given the educational nature and use of fake animals.

See evidence (2)

“cold blooded rubber animal killers”mid-video

“Only about 10% of the time was it a car that did the squish”

Algorithm-Bait & Disguised ContentA little

The video title poses a provocative question about animal cruelty that might attract clicks, but the content delivers on the premise with a legitimate experiment. There's minimal mismatch between title and content. The topic itself (testing whether drivers intentionally hit animals) could be considered mildly sensationalized but is presented factually.

See evidence (1)

“Title: 'Turtles or Snakes- Which Do Cars Swerve to Hit More?'”

What Parents Need to Know

This video documents a roadside experiment where the creator placed realistic rubber animals (turtle, snake, tarantula) on the road shoulder to see if drivers would intentionally hit them. The findings reveal that 6% of drivers swerved to run over the fake animals, with trucks and SUVs being the primary offenders. While no real animals were harmed and the tone remains matter-of-fact rather than graphic, the content does introduce children to animal cruelty as a real behavior some adults engage in. The video frames this as a scientific experiment with data collection, which provides educational context, but younger children may find the concept of people deliberately hurting animals upsetting or confusing.

Talk to Your Kids About

1Why do you think some people would try to hurt animals, even fake ones, and why is that wrong?
2What does this experiment teach us about being kind to all living creatures, including animals we might find scary like snakes or spiders?
3If you saw an animal trying to cross the road, what would be the safe and kind thing to do?
4How can we use experiments and data collection to learn about the world around us, like this person did?

Turtles or Snakes- Which Do Cars Swerve to Hit More?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is this video appropriate for young children?

This video is best suited for children 8 and older who can understand the scientific experiment context and won't be overly distressed by the concept of animal cruelty. Younger children may find the idea of people intentionally hurting animals confusing or upsetting, even though no real animals were harmed in the experiment.

Does this video show any real animals being hurt?

No, the experiment uses only realistic rubber replicas of animals (a turtle, snake, and tarantula). No actual animals were placed in danger or harmed during the filming of this video.

What is the educational value of this video?

The video demonstrates the scientific method through hypothesis testing, data collection, and analysis. It also raises awareness about animal cruelty and road safety, showing that a small percentage of drivers deliberately harm animals, which can spark important conversations about empathy and kindness toward all creatures.

Will this video encourage my child to conduct dangerous experiments?

The creator conducts the experiment from a safe distance on a road shoulder, but parents should emphasize that children should never conduct experiments near traffic or roads. Use this as an opportunity to discuss safety and the importance of adult supervision for any experiments.

Why does this video have scores for bullying and toxic behavior?

The scores reflect that the video documents real instances of deliberate cruelty toward animals (even though they're fake), which models negative behavior. However, the video presents this behavior as problematic rather than endorsing it, and the creator expresses relief that turtles were targeted least often.

How should I explain to my child why people would hurt animals on purpose?

Frame it as a teaching moment about empathy and kindness. Explain that most people (94% in the video) don't hurt animals, but some people make poor choices. Emphasize that all living creatures deserve respect and care, and that your family values treating animals with kindness.

What age is "Turtles or Snakes- Which Do Cars Swerve to Hit More?" appropriate for?

Watchly's safety review recommends "Turtles or Snakes- Which Do Cars Swerve to Hit More?" for ages 8 and up. See the content breakdown above for the category-by-category findings behind this recommendation.