Research Studies & Reports
DMV’s Research & Development Branch has been conducting research and producing studies and reports since the 1950s. Research & Development reports help DMV to measure the impact of new laws on making drivers safer. We also identify areas where we can improve our processes, explore new approaches to solving existing problems, and branch out into new opportunities to serve you better.
Studies & Reports Sections
Studies and reports are assigned to a Section that best describes the type of report. Click on a section title below to see a short description.
I. Driver Education & Training Studies
II. Driver Licensing Screening Studies
III. Studies on Improvement and Control of Deviant Drivers
IV. Basic Research & Methodological Studies: Driver Performance, Accident Etiology, Prediction Models, and Actuarial Applications
V. Driver Licensing / Control Systems & Safety Management Studies
VI. Studies on Special Driver Populations
VII. Miscellaneous Studies & Reports
Request printed copies of studies and reports by mail at:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Research and Development Branch
2415 1st Ave. Mail Station: F-126
Sacramento, CA 95818
(916) 914-8125
Please include the report number, the number of copies requested, and your name, address, and phone number.
| Report ID | Date Published | Title | Section | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRN036 | 1994/ 05 |
Impact on Effectiveness of Level-3 Negligent Driver Actions of Conducting Level-3 Hearings by Phone-A Preliminary AnalysisTo evaluate the impact of conducting hearings by telephone on the effectiveness of Level-3 interventions in the Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS). |
III | |
| 112 | 1987/ 12 |
An Evaluation of the California Drunk Driving Countermeasure System: An Overview of Study Findings and Policy ImplicationsTo summarize the results and policy implications of seven-part study entitled An Evaluation of the Countermeasure System. a major federally funded California Drunk Driving |
III | |
| 117.1 | 1988/ 12 |
Negligent-Operator Treatment Evaluation System – Program Effectiveness Report S4 (Detailed Findings)To implement and maintain an automated on-line evaluation system for monitoring the effectiveness of the negligent-operator (neg-op) program and to issue periodic reports which present program cost and impact data for this program. |
III | |
| 122 | 1989/ 12 |
A Comparison of the Relative Effectiveness of Alternative Sanctions for DUI Offenders (Volume 1 of “Development of a DUI Accident and Recidivism Tracking System”)To develop a DUI data base for tracking accident and recidivism rates of first, second and third-or-more DUI drivers; to identify programs and sanctions associated with reduced accident and conviction rates, and to develop a system for detecting variation among counties in DUI sanctioning policy. |
III | |
| 133 | 1991/ 11 |
The Traffic Safety Impact of TVS Citation DismissalsTo reassess the traffic safety impact of California's policy of dismissing and masking traffic citations in lieu of completing a DMV-licensed traffic violator school program. |
III | |
| 187 | 2000/ 06 |
Using Traffic Conviction Correlates to Identify High Accident-Risk DriversThis study further explored previous research involving the viability of predicting accidents from equationsconstructed to predict convictions for the general driving population. Models that better identify drivers at increased risk of future accident involvement will increase the number of accidents prevented through post license control actions. Although the results do not support the hypothesis that equations keyed to citations do as well as or better than equations keyed to accidents in predicting subsequent accidents, the results suggest that identification of future accident-involved drivers can be improved by either of two approaches. The first is to construct equations based on a combination of prior accidents and citations. California’s neg-op system basically reflects such an approach since points are allocated to traffic convictions and culpable accidents. The second alternative is more elaborate, involving a truly multivariate approach in which the prediction equation consists of a two-variable vector of subsequent citations and accidents. The canonical correlation analysis performed for this study resulted in two orthogonal canonical functions or roots: A driving-incident function consisting of primarily citations and secondarily accidents and an almost exclusively accident function. The results reported in this study indicate that subsequent driving record can be predicted from prior driving record for groups of individuals; however, the error rates at the individual level are inherently large. The models derived from the canonical analysis, while superior to the simpler models, would be very difficult to implement operationally. The most obvious problem relates to its complexity. Canonical correlation is difficult to comprehend. Another problem is that the equations contain a number of variables (e.g., age and gender) that would not be legally defensible in taking license control actions. This problem could be rectified, with some sacrifice in predictive power, by deleting the unacceptable variables. In addition, use of variables such as age and gender might be permissible for triggering educational advisory interventions. |
III | |
| 209 | 2004/ 05 |
Characteristics of Negligent Operators in CaliforniaThis report presents descriptive information on the demographic characteristics and driving behaviorsof drivers who received the four levels of treatment within California’s negligent operator treatmentsystem (NOTS).Risk profiles are calculated for each treatment level by using historical information on their numbersand types of traffic accidents and convictions resulting in their assignment to the NOTS treatmentlevels. In addition, a risk profile is developed for a random sample of California drivers to facilitate abaseline for the four levels of NOTS treated drivers. |
III | |
| 22 | 1965/ 10 |
The Effectiveness of Short Individual Driver Improvement SessionsTo evaluate the effect of individual hearings on the subsequent driver records of negligent operators |
III | |
| 23 | 1966/ 01 |
The Fatal Accident Reexamination Program in CaliforniaTo establish a descriptive profile of the re-examined fatal accident driver and to evaluate three-year prior and subsequent driving records of such drivers. |
III | |
| 25 | 1966/ 06 |
Control of the Negligent Driver–Part III: Six Year After Action Driving RecordTo examine the percentage of drivers who either remained in or returned to the negligent driver category after original action; to arrive at a profile of the drivers who remained negligent drivers. |
III |