Ninety-five years ago today, on February 26, 1930 (January 28, 1930), traffic lights were installed in New York City to protect people on foot. On February 26, 1930, traffic lights were installed in New York City. The decision was made after drivers complained about pedestrians walking in the traffic lanes. If the traffic lights installed at various intersections in Manhattan are successful, they will be popularized all over the city. After studying the traffic plans of other cities, New York decided not to use the ordinary yellow light signal. The function of the yellow light is to tell the driver of the car to slow down before the red light indicating a complete stop appears. The New York City Department of Transportation considered the yellow light ineffective and rejected it. The traffic light was developed in 1923 by Carrett Morgan, a black businessperson. Morgan also invented the gas mask.