Do traffic lights harm the health of drivers

Although traffic lights are designed to reduce the number of traffic accidents and save lives, they actually pose a threat to the health of drivers.

British scientists from the University of Surrey found that traffic lights in themselves do not pose a danger to human health. The health of those behind the wheel is harmed by time spent waiting for a green light.

Researchers believe that 20% of all the harmful emissions that the driver inhales while driving his car fall into his lungs precisely during the traffic lights.

The total length of time of this stay constitutes 2% of the total travel time.
Within the framework of their experiment, they took dozens of air samples.

The exhaust gases of automobile engines contain a whole “cocktail” of harmful substances, including not only dangerous chemical compounds, but also so-called microparticles. In total, the exhaust gases contain about 200 chemical compounds.

The smaller these particles are, the deeper they are able to penetrate into the lungs and cause a general weakening of the body – compromising the immune system, and also increasing the risk of developing such diseases such as sinusitis, laryngotracheitis, bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke and even lung cancer. In addition, exhaust gases can cause atherosclerosis of the vessels of the brain.

It should be noted that these emissions recently made the list of the top ten health risks to human health worldwide, according to a report by the World Health Organization. Every year, harmful emissions indirectly kill more than 7 million people.

At the same time, not only the participants in car traffic are exposed to the risk of illness, but also people living in the immediate vicinity of busy roads, city highways or busy city streets.

In this regard, scientists do not recommend buying a home near busy roads or streets, and when driving on such city boulevards, the windows of the cars must be raised and the air conditioning should not be turned on.

It is also important for a person to maintain as much distance as possible between their personal vehicle and the vehicle in front of them. If possible, it is desirable to avoid traffic jams, which, among other things, contribute to an increase in arterial pressure and negatively affect the nervous system of almost all drivers.

It should be noted that electronic ping-pong has appeared at traffic lights in Germany.

This game was installed by the design students for the first time in the city of Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, so that pedestrians can spend their time more cheerfully while waiting for the green light of the traffic lights. Sometimes this waiting is extremely tedious, as they seem to go unusually slowly.

But thanks to the electronic ping pong installed on the traffic lights, one can have a fun and pleasant time playing with a person standing on the opposite side of the street.

When the corresponding light on the traffic light turns on, a device gives a signal, simultaneously announcing whether a person has won or lost. Passing on the street, one can not only smile and wink at the one with whom he competed until a while ago, but also get to know him.