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. 

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.

393 Results

Report ID Date Published Title Section Links
NRN031 1986/ 06

Accident Rates, Financial Responsibility, and Restriction Compliance of SB-38 Participants

By: Clifford J. Helander

To collect data regarding the accident rates, financial responsibility, and restriction compliance of SB-38 alcohol treatment program participants, in response to a legislative proposal requiring proof of financial responsibility for SB-38 program participants.

III
NRN023 1981/ 10

Review of “An Appraisal of San Diego County SB 38 Participant DUI Recidivism and Traffic Accident Involvement”

By: Raymond C. Peck

To communicate to the drunk driving rehabilitation community some evaluation defects in the above study which limit the conclusions that can be reached, and to increase knowledge of evaluation research methodology.

III
NRN022 1981/ 01

The Sanctioning Process and the DUI Offender

By: Roger E. Hagen

To increase knowledge and awareness of the state-of-the-art of drunk driver sanction effectiveness.

III
NRN021 1979/ 12

A Review of C. D. Robinson’s “The Operation of Drivers License Disqualification as a Sanction”

By: Raymond C. Peck

To prepare for the journal of Accident Analysis and Prevention a critical analysis and. review of an Australian monograph on the effectiveness of license suspensions.

III
NRN020 1977/ 09

Driver License and Driver Improvement Program

By: Ronald S. Coppin

The report attempts to conceptualize driver licensing programs into a series of administrative techniques which, if applied in a systematic fashion, should enhance road safety. The basic concept of the report is a recommended shift from a system of selection/ enforcement to a system which is more diagnostic and/or educational in nature. This means a shift from doing things to drivers to a program which operates constructively for drivers.

III
NRN019 1977/ 02

A Study on the Feasibility of Placing Selected Negligent Operators on Probation by Mail

By: Beverly R. Sherman & William V. Epperson

To estimate the potential cost savings if negligent operators had the option of waiving the hearing process and accepting probationary status by mail.

III
NRN018 1973/ 11

Modifying Negligent Driving Behavior: Evaluation of Selected Driver Improvement Techniques, A Second Year Follow-up

By: William C. Marsh

To determine long-term effects of previously investigated treatments and provide decision information requested by the Legislative Analyst's Office.

III
NRN017 1994/ 04

Class C Drive Test Baseline Study: Preliminary Report

By: Rickey 1. Williams & Nancy C. Shumaker

To obtain descriptive statistics on 30 DMV field offices in order to select six representative sites for a follow-up evaluation of the reliability of the current Class C drive test.

II
NRN015 1992/ 06

Evaluation of Third-Party Drive Testing of Passenger Vehicle Operators

By: Robert Hagge

To compare the driving records of passenger vehicle (PV) operators who passed a third-party (DL 170) drive test with those of PV drivers who passed a drive test administered by Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or California Highway Patrol (CHP).

II
NRN014 1991/ 07

Evaluation of the Commercial Driver License Knowledge Tests

By: Patricia A. Romanowicz

To provide Program and Policy Administration (PP A) with item and test statistics useful for developing and improving the commercial driver license (CDL) knowledge tests.

II