Why Traffic Lights Were Invented Decades Before Cars

The first traffic light appeared decades before the first car, and just weeks after it was installed, it exploded. In this video, we trace the strange history of the traffic light: from jammed streets in Victorian London, to railway semaphores and ship lanterns, to the gas explosion that shelved the idea for almost 50 years, and the inventors who brought it back as cars took over the roads. You'll learn: - Why the first traffic light was invented in London in 1868 - Why red and green were chosen - Who added the third color, amber - How traffic lights replaced thousands of police officers - Why Japan calls the go light "blue" #trafficlight #history #inventions ⚠️ Copyright Notice • We use images and content in accordance with YouTube’s fair use copyright guidelines. • Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act states: “Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.” • This video may contain certain video clips, images, or photographs copyrighted by others that were not specifically authorized for use by the copyright holder(s), but which we believe in good faith are protected by federal law and the fair use doctrine for one or more of the reasons outlined above. chapters 0:00 The Silent Command of the Streets 0:29 Chaos in Victorian London 2:35 The Automobile Revolution 4:13 Automating the Intersection