The first known arrest for speeding in the United States took place in New York City in May 1899, when Jacob German, a driver for an electric taxicab company, was stopped by a bicycle-mounted police officer for driving at about 12 miles per hour on Lexington Avenue. He was taken to the station house and held — there were no printed tickets yet. The first written speeding ticket is usually credited to Dayton, Ohio, in 1904. Both stories show how quickly cities had to write rules for a new kind of vehicle.

At a glance
Date May 1899
Place Lexington Avenue, Manhattan
Driver Jacob German, electric taxi driver
Speed About 12 mph
First written ticket Dayton, Ohio, 1904 (widely cited)

Electric taxis in 1899 Manhattan

The car Jacob German was driving was an electric cab operated by the Electric Vehicle Company, part of a fleet that briefly made New York a leader in motor taxis. Read New York’s 1897 electric taxis.

Why 12 mph was too fast

Streets in 1899 were shared with horses, carriages, streetcars, cyclists and pedestrians. Early motor vehicle rules set low speed limits in cities, and police — often on bicycles — enforced them. A car moving faster than a trotting horse was considered dangerous.

The speed limit story

Speed rules existed before cars: many cities limited how fast carriages could be driven. As cars spread, states introduced motor vehicle laws. Connecticut passed one of the first state speed limit laws in 1901. New York introduced registration and licensing rules in the early 1900s.

The same year: the first traffic fatality

Just months later, in September 1899, New York also recorded the first known motor vehicle pedestrian death in the U.S. Read the Henry Bliss story.

Speed and safety today

Today, New York City’s default speed limit is 25 mph on most streets, enforced by an extensive network of speed cameras. Professional chauffeurs drive with this in mind: in the city, a smooth, safe ride matters far more than a few minutes saved. Read NYC traffic by hour.