You must have seen traffic lights while coming and going on the road. It plays an important role in maintaining order on the road and in ensuring the safety of the people. The three colors (Traffic Light Colours) in the traffic light - red, yellow, and green- give different signals, which tell about the traffic rules.

But have you ever wondered why only these three colors were chosen for the traffic light? Why not other colors? Let us tell you that there is an interesting story of science, psychology, and history behind this. Let us know about it.

Science of colors
The human eye perceives different colors differently. Red, yellow, and green are such colors that can be easily recognized from a distance-

The red color has the longest wavelength, due to which it is visible even from a distance. This is the reason why it was chosen for the "stop" signal. Due to this, this color is also used as a danger mark, so that people become cautious from a distance.

Green is also one of the long-wavelength colours, which is easy to see. Also, there is a psychological reason behind the green colour. Being the colour of nature, seeing green gives a feeling of safety. Therefore, green colour is used to indicate moving ahead.

Yellow colour can also be easily identified and is visible from a distance. It is used as a warning that the light is about to turn red, so slow down the vehicles. Otherwise, applying sudden brakes increases the risk of accidents. Similarly, before the green light, a signal is given through the yellow light that now indicates it is time to move.

Why are other colours not used?

Compared to red, yellow, and green colours, the wavelength of other colours is much shorter. Therefore, it can be difficult to see other colours from a distance. Therefore, only red, yellow, and green colours are used in traffic lights.

What is the history of traffic lights?

The history of traffic lights dates back to the 19th century. In 1868, the first gas-powered traffic light was installed in London, which was inspired by railway signals. At that time, only red and green colors were used, which had to be operated manually. The yellow color later became a part of the traffic light.

Later, red, yellow, and green colors were made the standard for traffic lights all over the world and these three colors are used everywhere.

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