Dr. John Van Nostrand Dorr (1872–1962) was an industrial chemist active in early to middle twentieth century.
This technology was used in sewage treatment, water purification, de-silting projects, minerals milling, and sugar production.
In the early 1950s, Dorr postulated that at night and when rain, snow or fog impaired vision, drivers hugged the white lines painted in the middle of highways.
Dorr believed this led to numerous accidents and that painting a white line along the outside shoulders of the highways would save lives.
The decrease in accidents was dramatic and a follow-up test in Connecticut had similar results.