While traveling on the road every day, traffic signals will pass by your eyes.
But have you ever wondered why red, yellow and green colors were chosen for traffic signal lights?
So the fact is that before cars such signal system was adopted for trains.
In the 19th century, train companies used red to stop, white to run, while green was used as a caution or the current yellow.
Since red always indicates danger and can be seen from a distance, it was used to stop.
But the train drivers were facing problems due to the white color because the starlight was deceptive at night, so it was decided to change the order of colors.
After that, green replaced white, while green was replaced by yellow.
This was because the yellow color is quite different from the other 2 and clearly visible at night.
So when did this system become part of the roads?
In 1865, following the increase in the number of horse-drawn carriages in London, John P. Knight, a railway manager, approached the local authorities and proposed the use of a light signal system for road traffic.
Under this system, during the day, the policemen would manage the traffic with their hands, while at night, this work would be done with red and green colors.
The proposal was accepted and on 10 December 1868 the 2-colour system was introduced in a few areas.
But after initial success, this system did not last long as gas lights were used at that time and once a gas leak caused an explosion.
The system was then adopted again in America 30 years later and in 1914 the first electric traffic light was developed.
3-color traffic lights were first installed in New York followed by London in 1925, then gradually traffic signals were installed around the world.
