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

Note Please include the report number, the number of copies requested, and your name, address, and phone number.

395 Results

Report ID Date Published Title Section Links
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
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
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
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
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
NRN032 1986/ 12

Pilot Test of Four Written Driver License Knowledge Tests

By: Michael A. Gebers

To provide technical assistance to the Division of Headquarters Operations in pilot testing four of the Department's written driver license examinations and to provide test and item statistics.

III
NRN033 1990/ 10

The Identification of High-Risk Drivers through Age-Mediated Point Systems

By: Michael A. Gebers & Raymond C. Peck

To determine if there is quantitative justification for applying age-mediated intervention programs to older drivers.

III
NRN034 1992/ 11

Effectiveness of California Laws in Deterring Drinking and Driving

By: Clifford J. Helander

This paper, written for presentation at a DUI symposium sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, provides a historical review and evaluation of the impact of California DUI legislation in deterring drinking and driving.

III
NRN035 1993/ 07

Using Traffic Violator School Citation Dismissals in Addition to Convictions as the Basis for Applying Postlicense Control Actions

By: Michael A. Gebers, Raymond C. Peck Mary K. Janke, & Robert A. Hagge

To determine whether TVS dismissals should be used, along with negligent operator (neg-op) points, in selecting drivers for level 3 license control action (suspension and probation). Implicit in this objective is the fact that any change in policy (or law) that would include TVS dismissals in triggering license control actions would be expected to produce a corresponding increase in the number of neg-op interventions. It is argued that any group of drivers whose accident expectancy (average accident rate) exceeds that of prima facie negligent (level 3) drivers is a legitimate target group for such actions.

III
NRN036 1994/ 05

Impact on Effectiveness of Level-3 Negligent Driver Actions of Conducting Level-3 Hearings by Phone-A Preliminary Analysis

By: Raymond C. Peck, & William C. Marsh

To evaluate the impact of conducting hearings by telephone on the effectiveness of Level-3 interventions in the Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS).

III