Who knew we could celebrate traffic lights? This day is to commemorate the installation of the first electric traffic signal system in 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Red, green, yellow… three-colour traffic lights are now a daily part of every person’s life. But it wasn’t always like that.
December 10, 1868, was the official birth date of the world’s first traffic light. It was installed at Parliament Square in London. The system was composed of two mobile signs attached to pivoting arms that were manipulated by a lever. The post was topped with a gas-lit semaphore to ensure visibility. But it was short-lived. Less than two months later, the traffic light exploded, killing the police officer who worked the signs.
August, 5, 1914 the first dual-coloured traffic light, was installed in Cleveland in the United States using electricity that had now became widespread. It was designed by an American policeman named Lester Wire.
In 1920 Detroit and New York added yellow between red and green. William Potts, a Detroit police officer, developed several automatic traffic light systems, including the first three-colour signal, which added a yellow "caution" light. The traffic lights that we now know were born and became the norm throughout the world.
On October 13, 1933 Australia's first traffic lights began operating in Sydney. The lights were installed at the intersection of Market and Kent Streets in Sydney's CBD.
Today while in a bookshop I picked up this book, Red Light, Green Lion by Candace Ryan and Jennifer Yerkes. It is a gem! This charming, sometimes silly, philosophical picture book is inspired by the popular childhood game Red Light, Green Light. Candace Ryan's text is simple, and the repeated refrain allows for guessing what (green) surprise comes next, making it an engaging read-aloud.
If your library has a good collection of older Australian picture books, you might still be able to locate Tony Wilson and Andrew McLean's The Minister of Traffic Lights to share with your class.
Greenlight by Breeanna Carzoo is new and I haven't seen it yet. The blurb made me smile when it said, The cars stop for Redlight and slow for Yellowlight, so why do they leave when Greenlight shines?
And biography Saving the Day: Garrett Morgan's Life-Changing Invention of the Traffic Signal by Karyn Parsons and Gregory Christie will give you more history associated with traffic lights.
This poem comes from the Scholastic Teachables.
I am so glad you mentioned The Minister for Traffic lights - such a fun book and one that was probably mostly overlooked back when it was published.
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