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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62.2 | 1978/ 12 |
An Evaluation of the California Drive Test in Theme and Variation. Volume II: Final ReportTo determine if a longer, more "comprehensive" drive test, or the standard drive test with parallel parking and a higher fail rate, would improve the subsequent driving records of previously unlicensed applicants. |
II | |
| 73 | 1980/ 02 |
Development of a Provisional Licensing Program for New California DriversTo examine the feasibility of provisional licensing procedures for new California drivers and to analyze potential program components. |
II | |
| ACR67 | 1971/ 01 |
Report to the California State Legislature, in Accord with Assembly Concurrent Resolution 67, 1969 Legislative Session, WakefieldTo comply with Assembly Concurrent Resolution 67, (1960 Legislative Session) by conducting a pilot study of the effects of waiving the knowledge test for renewal applicants. |
II | |
| NRN013 | 1988/ 06 |
Multiple License Study: Technical Appendix to AB 3262 ReportIn compliance with Assembly Bill 3262 (Katz), to (1) estimate the number of Class 1 and 2 (heavy commercial vehicle) drivers with more than one driver license or with an X-record on file that had not been matched to the driver, (2) perform a point-count and DUI-conviction analysis of Class 1 and 2 drivers with multiple records and estimate how much worse they would look, in terms of accidents and convictions, if their separate records were combined, and (3) analyze license class types as a byproduct of the sampling design. |
II | |
| 118 | 1989/ 02 |
The Effect of Renewal by Mail for Drivers with less than Four-Year-Clean Records (Final Report)To evaluate the traffic safety impact of allowing drivers with a two-year-clean record, but less than a four-year-clean record, to renew their licenses by mail. |
II | |
| 148 | 1995/ 03 |
EVALUATION OF CALIFORNIA’S COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE PROGRAMThis report evaluates the impact of the Commercial Driver License (CDL) program on fataland fatal/injury accidents involving heavy vehicles operated by drivers licensed in California.The program, which was initiated in January 1985, began a new commercial-licenseclassification and endorsement system, implemented stronger licensing standards and morecomprehensive tests of knowledge and driving competency, required drivers to report specificviolations to employers, and provided for more stringent post-licensing sanctions to negligentoperators. Intervention time series analysis was used for data analysis. The results indicatethat the CDL program did not have a statistically significant effect on the fatal or fatal/injuryaccident series. |
II | |
| 205 | 2003/ 05 |
Evaluation of California’s Graduated Driver Licensing ProgramCalifornia’s 1998 graduated driver licensing program was implemented to reduce the high crash risk of teenage drivers. Monthly per capita crash rates for 15-to-17-year-olds were analyzed using time series analysis. No overall reduction in total crashes or fatal/injury crashes was found immediately following program implementation or beginning 6 months later. The 12-month nighttime restriction was associated with significant sudden-permanent reductions of 0.44% in total crashes and marginally significant 0.45%in nighttime fatal/injury crashes. The 6-month passenger restriction was associated with reductions of 2.52% and 6.43% in total and fatal/injury teen passenger crashes, respectively. The fact that no overall reductions in crashes, and only small reductions in crashes associated with the restrictions, were found isnot surprising given findings that teens and parents were either already practicing program requirementsprior to implementation, or not fully complying with the program requirements afterwards. The findings provide support for passenger and nighttime restrictions. |
II | |
| 216 | 2009/ 10 |
Clearing A Road to Being Driving Fit by Better Assessing Driving Wellness – Development of California’s Prospective Three-Tier Driving-Centered Assessment System (Technical Report)This report has two main purposes: (1) describe the development of California’s prospective 3-Tier driving-centered assessment system, and (2) present an “ecological perspective” on driver licensing. Driving-centered is an ecological concept—it means taking into consideration when, where, why, and how individual drivers customarily drive. Rather than an endpoint in delicensing drivers assessed as unsafe, 3-Tier fundamentally alters the purpose of assessment to be a starting point, if feasible, for extending the safe driving years of functionally-limited licensed drivers. The 3-Tier system integrates new assessment tools into those currently used by the Department of Motor Vehicles. All renewal applicants required to pass the department’s knowledge test are assessed on Tier 1, and those who are found to have a driving-relevant visual, mental, or physical limitation(s) are further screened on Tier 2. Based on these assessments, drivers are classified as driving well, somewhat functionally limited or extremely functionally limited; the extremely functionally-limited drivers are required to pass a Tier 3 road test to be licensed. The results of a small scale pilot study upon which the 3-Tier system was developed showed that somewhat-limited drivers, perhaps because they were less aware of their limitations, were more likely to be crash involved than extremely-limited drivers, who were probably more aware of their limitation(s) and compensated accordingly. In contrast, extremely-limited drivers were more likely to fail an office-based road test. The report concludes with 22 recommendations for statewide implementation of 3-Tier, including recommendations that the department’s R&D branch evaluate the reliability and validity of the current area drive test, and if needed, develop a better one, that this test be available to extremely limited drivers as an option for their Tier 3 road test requirement, and that the department educate somewhat-limited drivers about compensating for their limitation(s). |
II | |
| 221 | 2006/ 12 |
Evaluation of the Class C Driver License Written Knowledge TestsThis report represents the results of an evaluation of English and Spanish language written knowledge tests that were administered to applicants for an original or renewal Class C driver license. The report presents test fail rates for multiple attempts, mean error scores, and internal consistency validity for each test form, as well as the pass rate, item‐choice selection rates, and item‐total correlation for each item on each English test form. Items that need to be reviewed for possible rewording or replacement are identified. The results are based on 11,307 completed test forms collected from all California Department of Motor Vehicle field offices on August 4, 2005, or for a few offices on a subsequent Thursday. |
II | |
| 226 | 2008/ 04 |
Evaluation of the Spanish Class C Driver License Written Knowledge TestsThis report presents the results of an evaluation of the Spanish language written knowledge tests completed by applicants for an original or renewal Class C driver license. The report presents the test fail rate, mean number of errors, and internal‐consistency reliability for each test form, as well as the pass rate, item choice selection rates, and item‐total correlation for each question on each form. Items that need to be reviewed for possible rewording or replacement are identified. The results are based on 4,539 completed test forms collected from all California Department of Motor Vehicle field offices from July 9 through 13, 2007. |
II |