Roads and Vehicle History

 WHEEL- The history of the wheel spans thousands of years and is

intertwined with the development of human civilization and technology.
- The earliest form of the wheel was likely a solid disc carved from a tree
trunk used for rolling objects. This early concept was probably invented around
3500 BCE.
- Wheels were first used in conjunction with simple sleds for transporting
heavy loads, likely over short distances.
The FF were some of the earliest types of wheeled carts;
I. Solid Wheels on fixed axle- Solid wheels on a fixed axle are an early form of
wheel design where a solid circular disc or ring is directly attached to a
stationary axle. This simple configuration was one of the earliest wheel
setups and is believed to have been used in various cultures for
transporting heavy loads over short distances.
II. Sumerian Chariot with flank wheels- The two-wheeled chariot was the
next progression in the development of transportation after the wheel was
invented. It was probably first used in royal funeral processions, later being
adapted for warfare and racing.
III. Greek Quadrica with spoked wheel- drawn by four horses was a light and
elegant vehicle for gentlemen about 50 BC. It had spoked wheels and axles
of irons and bronze, handles for aid in mounting, and seat formed by a
board placed across the handles.
IV. Roman Carpentum- A Roman carpentum was a type of ceremonial carriage
used in ancient Rome. It was a luxurious and ornate vehicle typically used
for transporting important individuals, especially women of high social
status, on special occasions such as weddings, religious processions, and
other public events. The carpentum was not used for racing or everyday
travel but rather as a symbol of prestige and social standing.
V. Italian Cocchio- "cocchio" refers to an Italian word for a carriage or coach
used for transportation in historic Italy. Similar to other types of carriages
and vehicles used in various cultures, the cocchio was a means of
 transportation for people and goods. It had a significant impact on daily life
and reflected the societal norms and styles of the time.
…..In 1645 a sort of cycle was invented by Jean Theson but it had no Brakes, Pedal
or Steering and needed feet motion.
…..The First in the History of World Traffic - 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.
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 warn the oncoming traffic.
The First Number of the World - The world's first car number plates were issued
by the French police in 1893.
The First Petrol Pump - The first petrol pump was installed in USA in 1906.
First Man to be Challaned - In 1895 John Henry Knight was convicted and fined
for using a motor-tricycle 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 Grove 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. Guglielminetti, a Swiss.
At first the tar was brushed in cold, but soon it was applied hot.
The Motor Car Act - 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 filing up a form and paying the fee at a post
office. The act made dangerous driving an indictable offence.
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. In Nepal we introduced traffic light in 1966.
Pedestrian Crossing - The pedestrian crossing were 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.
Laufmachine cycle was then created by Karl Von (1817). Soon this was made
into the regal Dandy Horse by Dennis Johnson.
In 1839 the proper cycle was shaped by K. Macmillan. It had iron wheels and a
wooden frame.
The manifestation of automobile horse-power was taught in 1769 by Nicolas
Joseph Cugnot, who invented the first 'Steam Truck' which the French army
thought was useful.
 In 1885, Gottlieb Daimler (together with his design partner Wilhelm
Maybach) took Otto's internal combustion engine as the prototype of the
modern gas engine.
 On January 29, 1886, Carl Benz applied for a patent for his “vehicle
powered by a gas engine.” The patent – number 37435 – may be regarded
as the birth certificate of the automobile. In July 1886 the newspapers
reported on the first public outing of the three-wheeled Benz Patent Motor
Car, model no. 1.
 The first person to have developed an engine that could run off diesel was
Rudolf Diesel
 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.
 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 warn the oncoming traffic.
 The world's first car number plates were issued by the French police in
1893.
 In 1895 John Henry Knight was convicted and fined for using a motor-
tricycle on the highway. He was probably the first motorist to appear in
court.
 The first motor-car accident in Britain resulting in the death of the driver
occurred in Grove Hill, Harrow-on-the Hill, London, on 25th February 1899.
 The World's first traffic lights were installed in Detroit, USA in 1919.
 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 license but there was no driving test to pass and
the license was obtained by filing up a form and paying the fee at a post
office. The act made dangerous driving an indictable offence.
 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.
 Box junctions, marked with yellow cross-hatching, were introduced in
London during 1964.
 When cars became popular, local governments established traffic laws to
limit collisions with horse-drawn wagons and ensure safety. The mandatory
registration of automobiles was one of the first traffic regulations in the
United States. New York became the role model in 1901 by being the first
state to require that automobile owners register their vehicles.
 By 1920, license plates were mandatory in all states. It took longer for the
states to require a driver’s license. In 1935, there were just 39 states that
issued the licenses and only a few tested applicants. Before the 1930s, most
drivers received their training from automobile salesmen, nonprofit
 organizations such as the YMCA, family members and friends. Soon,
however, driver’s education was provided in the high schools.
FATHER OF TRAFFIC SAFETY
 It did not take cars long to clog the streets and cities to begin setting speed
limits, installing traffic lights, designing one-way streets and adding parking
meters. Yet, it did take drivers longer to start obeying these laws.
 The book “Rules of the Road” was written by William P. Eno in 1903. Eno,
“the father of traffic safety,” introduced many road regulations, such as the
need for slow traffic to remain to the right and cars to pass only on the left,
as well as one-way streets, crosswalks for pedestrians, stop signs and safety
islands. He believed that stoplights would never work and police would
always be necessary at intersections. Ironically, he had his chauffeur drive
him around. This is “The History of Traffic.”
 OBEYING TRAFFIC LAWS, HOW?
 IS THERE REALLY A NEED TO OBEY TRAFFIC LAWS? YES!
OBEYING TRAFFIC LAWS
Traffic laws now make up a major part of most state regulations. Their main
purpose is to improve unsafe driving and to provide education to bad
drivers. Research shows that most people will obey the traffic laws, even
when they hit a red light at 3 a.m. and there is not another car in sight.
There is, however, a group of people who constantly get caught for ignoring
the laws. Studies show that more people follow the laws when they think that
there is a good chance of being caught and less adhere to them when they
believe they can get away with it.
Definition of Terms
TRAFFIC – refers to the movement of persons, goods, or vehicles, either
powered by combustion system or animal drawn, from one place to another
for the purpose of travel.
ACCIDENT – is that occurrence in a sequence of events which usually produces
unintended injury, death, or property damage.
TRAFFIC ACCIDENT – an accident involving travel transportation on a traffic
way.
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT – is any event that results in unintended injury or
property damage attributable directly or indirectly to the action of a motor
vehicle or its loads. Last Clear Chance
Included are:
Accidental injury from inhalation of exhaust gas;
Fires;
Explosion;
Discharge of firearm within the motor vehicle while in motion;
Collision between a motor vehicle and a railroad train or street car on
stationary rails or tracks;
Failure of any part of the motor vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.
Excluded are:
1. Collision of a motor vehicle with an aircraft or water-craft in motion;
2. Injury or damage due to cataclysms (flood or sudden physical change of the
earth surface);
3. Injury or damage while the motor vehicle is not under its power is being
loaded on or unloaded from another conveyance.
MOTOR VEHICLE – is every device which is self-propelled and every vehicle
which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but
not operated upon rails.
TRAFFIC WAY – is the entire width between boundary lines of every way or
place of which any part is open to the use of the public for purposes of
vehicular traffic as a matter of right or custom.
ROADWAY – the portion of a traffic way which is improved, designed or
ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the shoulder.
KEY EVENT – an event on the road which characterizes the manner of
occurrence of a motor vehicle traffic accident.
DEBRIS – is the accumulation of broken parts of vehicles rubbish, dust and
other materials left at the scene of the accident by a collision.
SKID MARKS – are marks left on the roadway by tires which are not free to
rotate, usually because brakes are applied strong and the wheels locked.
SCUFF MARKS – are signs left on the road by tires that are sliding or
scrubbing while the wheel is still turning (Republic Act 4136).
Centrifugal skid mark- A marking on a roadway left by a rotating tire and
wheel of a speeding vehicle on a curve when the speed of the vehicle is above
the critical speed of the curve and the centrifugal force entirely or partially
overcomes the friction between the mass of the vehicle and its tires and the
surface of the roadway.
Critical speed of the curve-the speed at which a vehicle will lose lateral
control on a given roadway curve. The normally flawed procedure is to assume
the highway curve radius as the critical path taken by the vehicle.
Impending skid marks-Marks caused by the forward rotation of the wheels
being slower than the forward movement of the vehicle. The shadowy
beginning of a skid mark along the approach path of the vehicle is the
impending skid mark (a.k.a. as tire shadow marks), while the darker markings
are the skid marks which begins in the impending skid mark and ends at the
point collision or final rest.
Yawn mark- A scuffmark made while a vehicle is yawning the mark mode
on the road by a rotating tire which is slipping in a direction parallel to the axle
of the wheel.
Causes of Traffic Congestion – Types of Congestion

There are four types of traffic congestion: Environmental, Mechanical,

Human and Infrastructure-related. Take a deep dive on traffic jams and their
causes. There are two overall types of traffic congestion, according to the
Department of Transportation: recurring and non-recurring. The DOT states
that about half of traffic congestion is the recurring kind, which happens daily
and is due to a lack of capacity on the road — or in other words, there are
more vehicles travelling at a given time than can physically fit. The other type
of congestion, non-recurring, is what the DOT calls “temporary disruptions” in
travel, such as bad weather or a vehicle collision.
1. Environment (Non-recurring) - A study by Dr. Jean Andrey and Daniel
Unrau found that traffic collisions increase by around 50 percent during snow
and rain. From rainy or foggy weather, to the extreme snowstorm that stops
drivers in their tracks, weather has an uncontrollable effect on not just traffic
but road conditions as well. Even a gentle rain can make an impact if all drivers
slow down together.
2. Mechanical (Non-recurring) - Another factor that can cause traffic
congestion is the case of a mechanical failing. While arguably a mechanical
failing could fall into a human-caused category, such as if the person failed to
properly maintain the vehicle’s tires, this is not always the case.
3. Human (Non-recurring) - The all-too-common cause of traffic is humans.
From distracted or drunk driving to drowsy driving or emotional driving, there
are many dangerous scenarios — even with our opposable thumbs and large
frontal lobes — that humans trigger on the road.
Phantom Traffic Jams:
It’s unsurprising then that drivers end up making quick decisions and engage in
behaviors like last-minute braking. Once a driver slams on the brake because
he or she was distracted, a ripple effect begins.
Depending on other traffic conditions, this one mistake in braking could slow
traffic in that lane and surrounding lanes for hours. This is what referred to as
phantom traffic jams is because as drivers get through the sluggish spot, it will
seem as though absolutely nothing had caused the slowdown. Researchers
describe it as the same ripple effect that a bomb makes. (Geotab report:
Predicting Traffic Congestion with Driving Behavior -2019)
But the truth is that much of the congestion caused by humans is due to a
much simpler reason than any of those listed above — driver training. Many of
our fleet readers who have gone through driver training programs likely agree.
To get a license, a driver must show an understanding of the rules of the road,
not necessarily how to best merge onto a freeway or use the accelerator
instead of last-minute braking to deal with stop-and-go traffic. If all drivers
went through the training and fleet safety coaching that many fleet drivers do,
it’s arguable that some traffic congestion could be prevented.
4. Infrastructure (Recurring)- Another category that could also arguably be
human-caused is infrastructure. However, while humans created it,
infrastructure is so vast and the world around it changing so rapidly, that’s it’s
not necessarily the fault of engineers who didn’t foresee the demands which
would be put on roads at exponential rates.
a. From potholes that cause slowdowns to bottlenecks in areas that
out-populated their roadways, infrastructure is the hidden troll that
amplifies traffic problems in many urban and suburban areas.
b. Bottlenecks alone account for 40% of traffic congestion causes,
according to the DOT. Ironically, in our efforts to improve
infrastructure, construction also causes 10% of traffic.