Before the invention of automobiles, people used to travel by bullock cart, horse, palanquin etc. So the number of road accidents was also very less then. Later four wheelers were invented.
Henry Ford opened the first car manufacturing factory in America in 1903. Even after cars became popular, horse-drawn carriages, bicycles and other vehicles were running on the roads.
Congestion of modern and antique vehicles plying the roads has increased the number of accidents. African American scientist Garrett Morgan also witnessed a similar accident involving a horse-drawn carriage and a motor car.
After this they felt that there should be signals to regulate traffic. The first traffic signal came from that.
Patent of Traffic Signal
The first signal made by American scientist Garrett Morgan consisted of a three-pronged T-shaped pole with 'stop' and 'go' signals attached to the handle.
This signal could be used alternately (i.e. once go and once stop) to allow pedestrians to cross the road or to stop traffic in one or more directions to avoid an accident.
Morgan received a patent for this invention in 1923. He then immediately sold his rights to the General Electric Company for forty thousand dollars.
Morgan did not have a conventional education. But still he invented many other inventions like gas mask, zigzag attachment for sewing machine, comb, along with traffic signal.
