“What would life be without a traffic light?”
Despite all the idiots on the road who don’t pay attention to traffic lights, you’re probably thinking would it make a difference?
Well guess what? It does, because the world’s first electric traffic signal was put into place on the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 5th 1914.
The inventor Garrett Morgan has been given credit for having invented the traffic signal based on his T-shaped design, patented in 1923 and later reportedly sold to General Electric.
I’m touching the bases of the history of the Traffic light but if you want to explore this further.
Today’s YouTube video presentation gives you of more in depth look of how the traffic light came along through history. Shared by user name 21 sommersm below;
Despite Morgan’s greater visibility, the system installed in Cleveland on August 5, 1914, is widely regarded as the first electric traffic signal.
Based on a design by James Hoge, who received U.S. patent 1,251,666 for his “Municipal Traffic Control System” in 1918, it consisted of four pairs of red and green lights that served as stop-go indicators, each mounted on a corner post.
How was the traffic light colors decided?
Actually to make a long story short, the colors of the traffic light came from the railroad system in Great Britain, but different railroads used different signals.
In 1841, the country standardized the signaling system, with red as a warning sign, white indicating clear track ahead and green representing “proceed with caution.”
A sudden change from green to red in a four-way intersection had the potential to provoke an accident, and mistimed signals could lead to chaos. Detroit, Mich., established the first three-color traffic light in 1920, inserting a yellow “caution” light between the red and green signals as a safety measure.
So the next time you’re sitting a light, remember this decision was all based on how trains were directed.
As we celebrate the history of the traffic light today!
Written & Designed by JD Mitchell
jdmitchelldesigns@gmail.com
Days to Remember 