Furthermore, with the invention of automobiles, the traffic on the roads increased significantly, so there was a need for a better traffic system. In the early 1900s, the world was developing at a very rapid pace, and with the growth of industrialization, cities became more crowded. Red was used to stop, as it represented danger or caution, whereas green was determined to be a more reassuring colour in most cultures and also has a strong emotional correspondence with safety.Īlso read: Origin Story: Why Do We Say Hello When Answering the Phone? The First Electric Traffic Lights Red signalled carriages to stop, and green meant to proceed. At night, instead of arms, gas-lit red and green lights were used. During the daytime, the semaphore arms would be raised or lowered by the police officer, signalling to carriages whether they should proceed or stop. The gas-fueled lights needed to be manually controlled by a police officer using semaphore arms. It was implemented to control the traffic of horse carriages in the area and to allow pedestrians to safely cross the roads. This model was proposed by a British railway engineer, J.P Knight. And on December 10 1868, the first gas-lit traffic lights were installed outside the Houses of Parliament in London. The idea for developing traffic signals began in the 1800s. The Early Beginnings of Traffic LightsĪlthough the purpose of a traffic signal is to regulate the flow of automobiles, traffic signals came into existence long before automobiles were invented. Today we’re covering the origin of the often overlooked traffic light and giving some insight into how they evolved over time. They control the flow of the ever-increasing number of automobiles on the road and they also help in preventing accidents. If people were to drive their cars randomly without caring about or considering other vehicles on the road, it could lead to chaos and may result in accidents the end result can be catastrophic.Įnter traffic lights, which play the role of coordinators on the road. Now, imagine the same situation taking place on our roads, and simply replace the set of people with vehicles. This kind of situation would ultimately lead to total chaos. In such a situation, all we would hear is random shouting and noise, as no one would want to be left behind, so everyone would try to express their point of view without considering what the other person has to say. The conversation can turn into a complete mess if there is no coordinator to look after these people and guide the chatter. Imagine a set of people having a heated discussion in a closed room.
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