Safety

31 artifacts in this set

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Early automobile safety efforts often focused more on creating better drivers than on building better cars. Though manufacturers introduced safety improvements, buyers generally weren’t interested in paying for them. Gradually, Americans began to accept increasing safety regulations, and today’s consumers demand safe vehicles.

Detailed Description

Traffic Policeman Standing in Intersection with Stop Sign, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1920

Photographic print

Before traffic lights, policemen used hand-operated devices called semaphores to regulate traffic. Officers blew a warning whistle before changing signals. The officer in this circa 1920 photograph controls traffic near the Pontchartrain Hotel in Detroit, Michigan.