History's Very First Fined Drunk Driver!

One Too Many Pints at the Wheel 🍻🚕

If you ever wonder who earned the dubious honor of being the first person ever fined for drunk driving, history has the answer: a 25-year-old London electric cab driver named George Smith.

On September 10, 1897, George was driving his electric taxicab through the streets of central London after having enjoyed a few drinks. Unfortunately, navigation proved tricky, and George managed to swerve across Bond Street and crash straight into the side of a building, according to The Fact Site.

• The Vehicle: An early electric Bersey cab (affectionately nicknamed a "Hummingbird" because of the buzzing noise it made).
• The Apprehension: Onlookers wasted no time hauling the tipsy cabbie directly to the police station.
• The Punishment: George pleaded guilty to operating a carriage while drunk and was ordered to pay a hefty fine of 20 shillings (about £1 at the time).

Next time you call a ride after a fun night out, remember George Smith—the pioneer who proved as early as 1897 that drinking and driving definitely do not mix!