Do you know when and where the first pedestrian crossing was installed?

The first pedestrian crossing in history was marked in the United Kingdom on October 31, 1951, in the town of Slough, west of London.

This innovation was a response to the growing traffic chaos and the need for greater pedestrian safety in urban areas.

Before this crossing, there were no standardized crossing signs and communication was often left to drivers and pedestrians, which caused numerous accidents.

With the introduction of this transition, a new era in traffic safety began.

What did the first pedestrian crossing look like?

The first pass was marked with white lines on a dark background, which made it very visible. These horizontal zebra-like lines were placed to clearly separate the area reserved for pedestrians and the area through which traffic is passing, helping drivers to distinguish it and slow down so that pedestrians can move safely.

Why is it called "zebra"?

Not long after the establishment of the crossing, the name "zebra" began to be used among the British. Although the exact source of the name cannot be confirmed with certainty, it is believed to have originated from the visual similarity of the transitions in stripes on zebra fur. British politician and military officer James Callaghan is believed to have first coined the term "zebra crossing", describing the crossing as something resembling a zebra. This expression soon became popular and entered everyday language, and the name "zebra" was later adopted by many other languages.

Excellent results

The implementation of the first zebra crossing was very successful. After the lines were laid in Slough, crossings began to spread across the UK and were soon adopted in other countries.

Studies have shown that this type of crossing has drastically reduced the number of road accidents, making traffic safer and more efficient. With the introduction of this standardized sign, drivers could more easily distinguish crossings and pedestrians gained the safety they had long awaited.

Historically, the zebra crossing has become a symbol of road safety and one of the most popular elements in traffic. Today, modern city traffic is unimaginable without these crossings, which together with traffic lights and other traffic signs contribute to the safety of all road users. /Telegraph/