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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 1968/ 07 |
The California Motorcycle Study – Driver and Accident CharacteristicsTo evaluate the extent of the motorcycle problem and pinpoint possible problem areas which could be explored by future research. |
IV | |
| 27 | 1968/ 04 |
Projected Motor Vehicle and Trailer Registration by County, 1967-1980To prepare a set of estimated vehicle registrations to 1980, by county, for each of the four classes of vehicles --passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers. |
VII | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 21 | 1965/ 02 |
The Teen-Aged Driver – Report 21To examine the accident and conviction records of teenaged drivers to determine whether or not a change in the licensing age was warranted and whether or not behind-the-wheel driver training was effective in reducing accidents and convictions. |
IV | |
| 20 | 1967/ 07 |
An Administrative Abstract of the 1964 California Driver Record StudyThe purpose of this abstract is to provide the administrator with a convenient access to the more important findings of the study, written in relatively non-technical language. |
IV | |
| 18 | 1965/ 01 |
Driving Under Suspension and Revocation: A Study of Suspended and Revoked Drivers Classified as Negligent OperatorsTo examine a six-year record of 1,326 negligent operators who were suspended or revoked to determine how many continued to drive and how many were convicted of this offense as well as the violation for which they were stopped. |
III | |
| 17 | 1965/ 01 |
A Re-Evaluation of Group Driver Improvement MeetingsThe group approach originally evaluated in 1961 (Coppin, Report #9) was re-evaluated to determine if the program was still effective. Both studies utilized a control group for comparison, although assignment to treatment was not random. Both reports indicated that the approach was an effective means of reducing violations, but there was no evidence of reduced accident frequency. It was recommended that different types of group and individual approaches be tried so that an optimum approach could be developed. It was also recommended that classical experimental design procedures be used in subsequent evaluations, including randomization. |
III | |
| 16 | 1964/ 12 |
The Totally Deaf Driver in California, Part IITo determine whether or not the driving records of deaf drivers differ from those of non-deaf drivers, and whether or not deafness or other factors are responsible for any differences found. Specifically, the study was designed to ascertain whether the deaf driver represents a special risk to public safety and, if so, to suggest any necessary licensing restrictions or unique training needs. |
VI |