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.

393 Results

Report ID	Date Published	Title	Section	Links
258	2021/ 08	AB 2499: A Traffic Safety Evaluation of California’s Traffic Violator School Masked Conviction Program By: Michael A. Gebers, Bayliss J. Camp The negative traffic safety impact of California’s prior traffic violator school (TVS) citation dismissal policy is well documented in past departmental TVS evaluations. Using advanced inferential statistical techniques, the current study evaluated the substantive changes to California’s Traffic Violator School program as required by California Assembly Bill 2499 (Chapter 599, Statutes of 2010). The program changes implemented by AB 2499 appear to be associated with a specific deterrent effect as evidenced by a reliable and statistically significant reduction in subsequent traffic crashes and convictions of those receiving a masked TVS conviction as opposed to a countable conviction. Although the results suggest that this relationship exists primarily among TVS drivers with less elevated prior records, the change in status from a TVS citation dismissal to a TVS masked conviction has reduced the negative traffic safety impact of the TVS citation dismissal policy in effect prior to the implementation of AB 2499. Several recommendations are offered to enhance the positive traffic safety impact of the TVS program by further combining its educational elements with the Department’s post-license control program by way of the Negligent Operator Treatment System.	III	PDF
262	2022/ 05	2021 Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information System By: Sladjana Oulad Daoud In this thirtieth annual legislatively mandated report, 2018 and 2019 driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI) data from diverse sources were compiled and cross-referenced for the purpose of developing a single comprehensive DUI data reference and monitoring system. This report presents cross-tabulated information on DUI arrests, convictions, postconviction sanctions, driver license suspension/revocation actions, and on drivers in alcohol- or drug-involved crashes. In addition, this report provides 1-year proportions of DUI recidivism and crash rates for first and second DUI offenders arrested each year over a period of 29 years. Also, the long-term recidivism curves for the cumulative proportions of DUI reoffenses are shown for all DUI offenders arrested in 2005. Two analyses were conducted to evaluate if referrals to alcohol and drug education programs were associated with reductions in 1-year subsequent DUI incidents and crashes among those convicted of the reduced charge of alcohol- or drug-related reckless driving, and if referrals to the 9-month DUI program were associated with reductions in 1-year subsequent DUI incidents and crashes when compared to referrals to the 3-month DUI program among first DUI offenders. The proportions of convicted first and second DUI offenders arrested in 2018, who were referred to, enrolled in, and completed DUI programs are also presented. Additionally, the numbers and percentages of DUI offenders who installed ignition interlock devices are presented by county and DUI offender status.	V	PDF
263	2023/ 04	2022 Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information System By: Heather Rees, Andrew McCullough, Sladjana Oulad Daoud, Ainsley Mitchum, and Dario Sacchi In this thirty-first annual legislatively mandated report, 2019 and 2020 driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI) data from diverse sources were compiled and cross-referenced for the purpose of developing a single comprehensive DUI data reference and monitoring system. This report presents cross-tabulated information on DUI arrests, convictions, postconviction sanctions, driver license suspension/revocation actions, and on drivers in alcohol- or drug-involved crashes. In addition, this report provides 1-year proportions of DUI recidivism and crash rates for first and second DUI offenders arrested each year over a period of 30 years. Also, the long-term recidivism curves for the cumulative proportions of DUI reoffenses are shown for all DUI offenders arrested in 2005. The proportions of convicted first and second DUI offenders arrested in 2019 who were referred to, enrolled in, and completed DUI programs are also presented. Additionally, the numbers and percentages of DUI offenders who installed ignition interlock devices are presented by county and DUI offender status.	V	PDF

Report ID

Date Published

Title

Section

258

2021/ 08

AB 2499: A Traffic Safety Evaluation of California’s Traffic Violator School Masked Conviction Program

By: Michael A. Gebers, Bayliss J. Camp

The negative traffic safety impact of California’s prior traffic violator school (TVS) citation dismissal policy is well documented in past departmental TVS evaluations. Using advanced inferential statistical techniques, the current study evaluated the substantive changes to California’s Traffic Violator School program as required by California Assembly Bill 2499 (Chapter 599, Statutes of 2010). The program changes implemented by AB 2499 appear to be associated with a specific deterrent effect as evidenced by a reliable and statistically significant reduction in subsequent traffic crashes and convictions of those receiving a masked TVS conviction as opposed to a countable conviction. Although the results suggest that this relationship exists primarily among TVS drivers with less elevated prior records, the change in status from a TVS citation dismissal to a TVS masked conviction has reduced the negative traffic safety impact of the TVS citation dismissal policy in effect prior to the implementation of AB 2499. Several recommendations are offered to enhance the positive traffic safety impact of the TVS program by further combining its educational elements with the Department’s post-license control program by way of the Negligent Operator Treatment System.

III

PDF

262

2022/ 05

2021 Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information System

By: Sladjana Oulad Daoud

In this thirtieth annual legislatively mandated report, 2018 and 2019 driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI) data from diverse sources were compiled and cross-referenced for the purpose of developing a single comprehensive DUI data reference and monitoring system. This report presents cross-tabulated information on DUI arrests, convictions, postconviction sanctions, driver license suspension/revocation actions, and on drivers in alcohol- or drug-involved crashes. In addition, this report provides 1-year proportions of DUI recidivism and crash rates for first and second DUI offenders arrested each year over a period of 29 years. Also, the long-term recidivism curves for the cumulative proportions of DUI reoffenses are shown for all DUI offenders arrested in 2005. Two analyses were conducted to evaluate if referrals to alcohol and drug education programs were associated with reductions in 1-year subsequent DUI incidents and crashes among those convicted of the reduced charge of alcohol- or drug-related reckless driving, and if referrals to the 9-month DUI program were associated with reductions in 1-year subsequent DUI incidents and crashes when compared to referrals to the 3-month DUI program among first DUI offenders. The proportions of convicted first and second DUI offenders arrested in 2018, who were referred to, enrolled in, and completed DUI programs are also presented. Additionally, the numbers and percentages of DUI offenders who installed ignition interlock devices are presented by county and DUI offender status.

PDF

263

2023/ 04

2022 Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information System

By: Heather Rees, Andrew McCullough, Sladjana Oulad Daoud, Ainsley Mitchum, and Dario Sacchi

In this thirty-first annual legislatively mandated report, 2019 and 2020 driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI) data from diverse sources were compiled and cross-referenced for the purpose of developing a single comprehensive DUI data reference and monitoring system. This report presents cross-tabulated information on DUI arrests, convictions, postconviction sanctions, driver license suspension/revocation actions, and on drivers in alcohol- or drug-involved crashes. In addition, this report provides 1-year proportions of DUI recidivism and crash rates for first and second DUI offenders arrested each year over a period of 30 years. Also, the long-term recidivism curves for the cumulative proportions of DUI reoffenses are shown for all DUI offenders arrested in 2005. The proportions of convicted first and second DUI offenders arrested in 2019 who were referred to, enrolled in, and completed DUI programs are also presented. Additionally, the numbers and percentages of DUI offenders who installed ignition interlock devices are presented by county and DUI offender status.

PDF