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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | 1994/ 08 |
THE CALIFORNIA DRIVER PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROJECT: AN EVALUATION OF THE CURRENT DRIVER LICENSING ROAD TESTThe California DMV is currently involved in a comprehensive effort to increase the competency level of the California driving population. One of these efforts involves the development of a new class C (passenger vehicle) drive test. The present report is designed to provide data on the reliability and psychometric properties of the current class C road test in order to provide a baseline comparison for the new drive test. This evaluation of the current test represents "Stage 1" in a multi-phase test development master plan (Williams & Shumaker, 1994). |
II | |
| 160 | 1995/ 09 |
Evaluation of California’s Special Drive Test ProgramThis report presents results of an evaluation of the department’s special drive test (SDT) program. A totalof 407 forms used to refer drivers for an SDT and to score their performance on the test were collectedover a 2-week period in October 1993 from 82 field locations. The driver records for these subjects werealso analyzed. The results showed that the SDT had a fail rate of 31.1% and an internal-consistencyreliability of .88. The vast majority (3/4) of SDT referrals were not recommended for a license restriction(e.g., no night driving), although 96% of SDT fails were under license suspension or revocation sometimeduring the 6 months following SDT testing. The driver record analysis revealed that the 3-year prior totalaccident rate for SDT subjects was 3 times higher than that for drivers of the same age and sex in thegeneral driving population. For 3-year prior total citations, the rate for SDT subjects was nearly twice ashigh as the standardized rate for other drivers. The 3-year prior accident rate for SDT fails was notsignificantly different from that for SDT passes, but SDT fails had a significantly lower 3-year prior totalcitation rate than did SDT passes.It was concluded that (1) available treatments (e.g., license restrictions) for incompetent drivers referredfor an SDT are underutilized, (2) the SDT is not effective in discriminating between low- and high-riskdrivers, and (3) the SDT program appears to reduce accident risk for drivers who fail the test but not forthose who pass. It was recommended that a unified policy directive be developed that would address theobjective of the SDT and specify the criteria to be used for referring applicants for an SDT, scoring thetest, and translating test performance into a licensing decision. |
II | |
| 176 | 1998/ 05 |
PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF THE REFERRAL DRIVING PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROGRAMThis report presents the results of a preliminary formative and process evaluation of the DPE referral drive test program. The purpose of the study was to develop descriptive measures of the Referral Driving Performance Evaluation (RDPE) process and, where possible, to determine whether the program guidelines are being followed, particularly the appropriate use of license restrictions and revocations following test failure. |
II | |
| 229 | 2010/ 04 |
California’s 3‐Tier Pilot Process Analysis AppendixThis report presents the descriptive and predictive analyses of: (i) the results of a survey (n = 130) conducted of California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA DMV) Field Office and Driver Safety Branch staff and managers participating in the 3‐Tier Pilot project; (ii) interviews (n = 49) conducted of CA DMV Field Office and Driver Safety Branch staff and managers participating in the 3‐Tier Pilot; (iii) the results of a survey (n = 5,777) conducted of customers participating in the 3‐Tier Pilot; and (iv) the robustness of the Pelli‐Robson contrast sensitivity chart by location and technician (n = 9,934). These analyses form the primary evidentiary basis for some of the findings and conclusions presented in the 3‐Tier Pilot Process Analysis Report. |
II | |
| 232 | 2010/ 04 |
California’s Three-Tier Driving-Centered Assessment System – Process AnalysisOn September 14, 2006, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 2542 (Daucher) into law, adding Section 1659.9 to the California Vehicle Code, and calling for a pilot study by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA DMV) of the 3-Tier Assessment System. This manuscript (the “process report”) constitutes the first of two reports on the 3-Tier Assessment System. It details the planning and implementation of the pilot, the process outcomes for the 12,346 CA DMV customers who participated in the pilot as well as the 4,853 customers who constituted a baseline comparison group, and the results of the subsequent multi-component process evaluation. The process evaluation includes a description of the costs to implement the pilot, discussion of various threats to the methodological validity of the process and outcome analyses, and an estimation of the potential costs of statewide implementation. An appendix to this report (published separately) contains more detailed analyses associated with four components of the process evaluation: the results of a survey of participating staff, the results of qualitative interviews conducted with participating staff, the results of a survey of pilot customers, and the results of an analysis of customer outcomes on the Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity assessment. |
II | |
| 46 | 1974/ 03 |
An Evaluation of California’s “Good Driver” Incentive ProgramTo study the effects of rewards and/ or incentives in the form of one-year license extensions (no testing or visit to field office required) for drivers with one-year-clean prior records. |
II | |
| 63 | 1978/ 07 |
The Effects of Written Licensing Tests Stressing Knowledge of Safe Driving Principles for Intermediate Record Renewal ApplicantsTo determine the comparative effects of a new, longer test, stressing knowledge of safe-driving principles, on subsequent driving record. The new tests were administered to renewal applicants who had moderate numbers of collisions and convictions on record, with a control group of comparable drivers receiving standard DMV law tests. |
II | |
| 65 | 1978/ 12 |
The Effects of Adding Safe Driving Content to Written Law Tests Administered to Original Drivers License ApplicantsA group of original California driver license applicants, composed of experienced (out-of-state) drivers and inexperienced (first-time) applicants, were administered new, expanded written licensing tests. Questions testing Vehicle Code knowledge and knowledge of non-codified safe driving principles were included in order to evaluate possible differential effects on subsequent driving record. The tests were also administered using different passing scores. |
II | |
| 80 | 1981/ 12 |
Traffic Safety Impact of the Extension of Driver Licenses by Mail for Renewal Applicants with Clean Prior Driving RecordsTo evaluate the traffic safety impact of extending driver licenses by mail for drivers with clean prior four-year records. |
II | |
| NRN011 | 1987/ 11 |
Evaluation of Tour-Bus Operator Knowledge TestTo evaluate the written knowledge test for tour bus operators and to provide test and item statistics. |
II |