Who got the first speeding ticket in America?

Jacob German, a New York City taxi driver, is widely credited as the first American cited for speeding in a motor vehicle. On May 20, 1899, he was driving an electric Electrobat taxi at 12 mph on Lexington Avenue when a bicycle officer named John Schuessler caught up, arrested him, and locked him up at the East 22nd Street precinct.

How fast was the first U.S. speeding ticket issued for?

Jacob German was caught driving 12 mph in 1899. New York City's speed limit at the time was 8 mph on a straightaway and 4 mph around corners — rules originally written for horses and applied to cars — so 12 mph was 50% over the limit.

What is the default speed limit in North Carolina when no sign is posted?

Under the NC Driver's Handbook, the default speed limit is 35 mph inside a municipality (city or town) and 55 mph outside a municipality. School zones use posted speeds (typically 20–25 mph when flashing) and work zones carry doubled fines and stricter enforcement.

What is the penalty for speeding 15 mph or more over the limit in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, speeding 15+ mph over the limit (when the limit is over 55 mph) is treated as a misdemeanor. It adds 3 license points and 2 insurance points, which can raise your insurance premium by 45% or more.

How is speeding enforced on North Carolina highways today?

The NC State Highway Patrol uses radar, lidar, and aircraft to enforce speed limits. Some sections of I-77 and I-540 also have automated speed enforcement zones.

May 20, 1899: The First Speeding Ticket in America — And What It Means for NC Drivers Today

On May 20, 1899, a New York City taxi driver named Jacob German rolled down Lexington Avenue at a heart-stopping 12 miles per hour. A bicycle officer named John Schuessler caught up to him, pulled him over, and made history: German is widely credited as the first person in the United States cited for speeding in a motor vehicle.

It was 127 years ago this week. Cars were so new that the speed limit was the same for horses and automobiles, and the man enforcing the rules was on a bicycle. A lot has changed since then — but if you're sitting at a North Carolina DMV office today, waiting to take the knowledge test, the connection back to that day on Lexington Avenue is closer than you might think.

The Car, the Cop, and the Cell

The car Jacob German drove wasn't a roaring Model T — the Model T didn't exist yet. It was an Electrobat, a fully electric taxi operated by the Electric Vehicle Company. In 1899, electric cabs briefly outnumbered gas-powered cars in New York City. German was a working-class driver doing his job, and his job apparently involved hustling.

New York's speed limit at the time was 8 miles per hour on a straightaway and just 4 miles per hour around corners — rules written for horses, applied to cars. German's 12 mph wasn't just over the limit; it was 50% over. Officer Schuessler arrested him on the spot and locked him up at the East 22nd Street precinct house.

There's some historical debate about whether German received an actual paper ticket or just a stay in jail. Most sources agree the first documented paper speeding ticket went to a man named Harry Myers in Dayton, Ohio, in 1904 — coincidentally, also caught at 12 mph. Myers, at least, got to go home that night.

What's Changed in 127 Years

Quite a lot, actually:

Speed limits. An 8 mph limit on Lexington Avenue sounds quaint. Today on a North Carolina interstate, the limit is 70 mph — nearly nine times faster than what got Jacob German arrested.
Enforcement. No more bicycle pursuits. NC State Highway Patrol uses radar, lidar, and aircraft. Some sections of I-77 and I-540 have automated speed enforcement zones.
The penalty. German went to jail. In North Carolina today, speeding 15+ mph over the limit (when the limit is over 55) is a misdemeanor, costs you 3 license points, and adds 2 insurance points — which can raise your premium by 45% or more.

What Hasn't Changed

Here's the part that connects 1899 New York to 2026 North Carolina: you still have to know the rules before you're allowed to drive.

Jacob German learned the speed limit the hard way. You don't have to. Before NCDMV hands you a license, you have to sit down at a kiosk and answer 25 questions correctly — questions about speed limits, right-of-way, road signs, school bus laws, and dozens of other specifics from the North Carolina Driver's Handbook. Getting those wrong won't land you in a cell at East 22nd Street, but it will send you home without a license and back into the months-long NCDMV appointment queue.

NC Speed Limits — A Quick Refresher

Since we're on the topic, here's what the North Carolina Driver's Handbook says about default speed limits when no signs are posted:

35 mph inside a municipality (city or town)
55 mph outside a municipality
School zones: as posted, typically 20–25 mph when the warning lights are flashing
Work zones: as posted, with doubled fines and stricter enforcement

These are the kinds of facts the NC DMV knowledge test asks about. Not the ones that feel like common sense — the specific numbers, the exception cases, the “what does this sign mean when it's yellow vs. when it's orange” questions.

Don't Repeat Jacob German's Day

The first speeding ticket in America happened because cars were new and the rules were still being figured out. The rules are figured out now — and they're what stand between you and your license.

Drive Prep NC is built around the exact specifics the NC DMV tests you on: 355 practice questions covering all 11 NC DMV topics, directly from the official handbook. Practice on your phone for twenty minutes a day, and by the time you sit down at that kiosk, the questions about speed limits, right-of-way, and road signs feel familiar instead of intimidating.

Jacob German didn't get to study before he hit the road. You do. Use that advantage — download Drive Prep NC and pass the test on your first try.