There are many holidays which are not so well known but which are connected with standardization. One of such holidays is International Traffic Light Day which is celebrated in the 5th of August. First electric device for traffic control appeared in Cleveland city exactly on that day in 1914.
Federal Information Collection of Standards has got interstate GOST on road traffic lights «Automobile roads of general use. Road traffic lights. Technical requirements». It came into effect almost year ago and it is applied to the established traffic lights for regulation of the vehicles and pedestrians on the automobile roads of general use.
According to this GOST color and shape of a signal waveform and also of symbol placed on it should be clearly identified at any time at not less than 100 m.
Switch on time of the traffic light should not be longer than 120 milliseconds from the moment of supply of control voltage. Road traffic lights and their signals should not have defects, which can be the reason of reducing visibility and inadequate ensuring of the road traffic safety.
Guaranteed shelf life of traffic lights should be not less than 3 years from the date of manufacture under the condition of complying with all storage conditions. Life cycle of traffic light should be not less than 5 years from the date of putting into operation of this traffic light.
Standard allows to use traffic lights with alternative energies such as solar batteries, autonomic power sources but on the condition that its power will be enough for support 24-hour and year round productivity of these traffic lights.
You can buy these documents in the International Cooperation Department.