There are several good reasons why studying traps might be considered  important. First, of course, to avoid becoming a victim of one.  Second is to recognize the opportunity of gaining a quick victory.  But the third reason is the best one, I believe: since traps, by their very nature, are not at all obvious and take advantage of poor play (particularly, though not exclusively, in the openings), understanding how traps work reveal to us certain secret tactical truths in postions that we may never have learned on our own. 

The last reason is as obvious as the first:  they are fun!
 

For this posting I've selected traps for white in the
French Defense