Traffic history – Introduction

We start this article about traffic history by the definition of the word ‘traffic’.

Traffic in English is taken from the Arabic word “taraffaqa”, which means to walk along slowly together.

Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel.

Traffic laws are the laws which govern traffic and regulate vehicles, while rules of the road are both the laws and the informal rules that may have developed over time to facilitate the orderly and timely flow of traffic.

Organized traffic generally has well-established priorities, lanes, right-of-way, and traffic control at intersections may share speed limits and easement, or may be segregated.

Some jurisdictions may have very detailed and complex rules of the road while others rely more on driver’s common sense and willingness to cooperate.

Traffic is formally organized in many jurisdictions, withmarked lanes, junctions, intersections, interchanges, traffic signals, or signs.

Traffic is often classified by type: heavy motor vehicle (e.g., car, truck);other vehicle (e.g., moped, bicycle); and pedestrian.

Organization typically produces a better combination of travel safety and efficiency.

Events which disrupt the flow and may cause traffic to degenerate into a
disorganized mess include: road construction, collisions and debris in the roadway.

On particularly busy freeways, a minor disruption may persist in a phenomenon known as traffic waves.

The Firsts in the Traffic History

Traffic history – The First Accident

In 1771 the first accident involving a motor vehicle took place in Paris when Cugnot’s steam tractor hit a low wall in the grounds of the Paris arsenal.

Traffic history – The First Act

The Locomotives and Highway Act was the first piece of British motoring legislation.

This was also known as the red Flag act of 1865.

The act required three persons in attendance one to steer, one to stoke and one to walk 60 yards ahead with a red flag to warm the oncoming traffic.

First Man to Be Challenged

In 1895 John Henry Knight was convicted and fined for using a motortricycle on the highway.

He was probably the first motorist to appear in court.

First Fatal Car Accident

The first motor-car accident in Britain resulting in the death of the driver
occurred in Grive Hill, Harrow-on-the Hill, London on 25th February 1899.

Dusty Road to Tar Surface

In 1902 Tar was first used on a Macadam surface to prevent dust in Monte Carlo.

It was the idea of Dr. Guglieminetti, a Swiss.

At first the tar was brushed on cold, but soon it was applied hot.

The First Number Plate of London

The Motor car Act of Britain came into force on 1st January 1904.

It required that all cars be registered and carry a number plate, and all motorists to have a driving licence.

But there was no driving test to pass and the licence was obtained by filling up a form and paying the fee at a post office.

The act made dangerous driving an indictable offence.

The First Petrol Pump

The first petrol pump was installed in USA in 1906.

The First Traffic Light of the World

The World’s first traffic lights were installed in Detroit, USA in 1919.

The first traffic lights in Britain were installed in Wolverhampton during 1928.

However, they did not come to London till 1932.

First Pedestrian Crossing

The pedestrian crossing was instituted in Britain in 1934.

The roads were marked by dotted lines.

On the pavement there were striped Belisha beacon light poles named after Britain’s Minister of transport L. Hore-Belisha.

The Zebra crossing with black and white stripes was developed after the Second World War.

First Traffic Police Woman

Police woman were used for traffic control duties for the first time in Paris,
in 1964.

In Delhi, were introduced woman traffic police, in 1989.

First Box Junction

Box junctions, marked with yellow cross-hatching, were introduced in London during 1964.

The aim was to prevent traffic blocking junctions when it could not proceed and this was successful.