In 1868, long before the automobile became a common sight on city streets, the world’s first traffic light was installed in London.
The light placed near the British Houses of Parliament to help pedestrians cross a busy street without the danger of being run over by a horse drawn vehicle. It consisted of a swinging arm that controlled traffic by day and red and green lights that controlled traffic at night.
A few years after it was installed, the world’s first traffic light blew up, killing a nearby policeman!
