When was the first traffic light installed? It was an American policeman named Lester Wire, in Utah, who has first developed an electric traffic light in 1912 and used the red-green lights. The American Traffic Signal Company installed a traffic signal system on the corner of the East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio two years later,  on 5 August 1914. Google gives the history of traffic light.

The first traffic signal consisted of four pairs of red and green lights that served as stop and go indicators and each of them was mounted on a corner post. It was wired to a manually operated switchboard inside a control booth, the system was configured effectively, so that conflicting signals were impossible.

Google celebrates the 101st anniversary with the animated doodle which shows cars with the letters spelling 'G-O-O-G-L-E' halting at a red traffic light and then rushing past it, as it turns green.

This was not the first time an attempt was made to regulate the traffic, in the 19th century, gas-lit traffic signals were installed in the UK.

The doodle is made quite interesting as it shows the old Model T built by Ford in the year 1908 waiting at the traffic signals when the light turns red and buzzing away in a hurry when the light shines green. Google’s doodle shows the traffic light with red and green light, but no orange indicator.

The Illustrator for the Google’s Doodle for the traffic light anniversary special is Nate Swinehart. He has designed it sarcastically by including the old Model T built by Ford. Traffic signal lights were a good start for controlling the traffic in a better way. But now as the vehicle population has exploded not traffic control system is able to provide a smooth flow.

By Premji