Traffic Light Day

December 10, 1868 the first traffic light was installed outside of the British Houses of Parliament. It was installed to control traffic on Bridge Street, Great George Street, and Parliament Street. The original idea came from railway engineer J.P. Knight and was constructed by the railroad signal engineers Saxby and Farmer.

The first traffic light resembled a railroad signal. There were two gas lamps, a red and green lamp that were used for night time use. The gas lamps were held by semaphore arms on a pillar. Because they were gas lanterns the needed to be operated by a police constable. The constable would turn a lever for the gas lamp to fac the right direction of traffic

The first electric traffic lights would make their appearance by 1912. The electric light would be invented by Lester Wire. The first only used red and green lights. It was James Hoge that would design the traffic light that would have both red and green lights but with a warning buzz that would alert the drivers of changing light. It was a police officer by the name of Potts to create the first four way three color traffic light in Detroit Michigan. Now there a great variety of traffic lights.


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