When was the first traffic light installed?
On this day 101 years ago, August 5, 1914, the first electric traffic light was installed in Cleveland, Ohio. Can you imagine what the roads would be like without traffic lights or street signs of any kind? Driving would be very different, that’s for sure!
What controlled traffic before electric stop lights?
Before the first traffic light was installed 101 years ago, policemen had to stand at busy intersections and direct traffic. The first traffic signal did require an operator to switch the light between green and red, but the operator sat safely in a booth to the side of the intersection.
In 1868, London police officers utilized gas to power a stop-and-go light outside the Houses of Parliament. The light had to be changed manually, and, just one month into the project, a gas leak caused an explosion, killing the operator. England police officers abandoned the project for obvious reasons, and traffic lights did not make their way back until 1926, when electric signals were installed.
Red and green, yes. But what about yellow lights?
It wasn’t until 1920 that the yellow light was incorporated into traffic signals. Before that, a loud bell would sound when the light was about to turn red in order to warn drivers to slow down.
The red, yellow, green color scheme actually came from a system the railroad industry has been using since the 1830s. It started out as red for stop, green for caution, and white for go, but problems arose when a red lens fell out to reveal a white light, causing one train to crash into another. The green light then became the sign for go and yellow for caution.
Thank goodness for traffic lights! Just think, what else might change on the roads in the next 101 years?
