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
Note Please include the report number, the number of copies requested, and your name, address, and phone number.
| Report ID | Date Published | Title | Section | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 191 | 2002/ 01 |
2002 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA DUI MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMIn this eleventh annual legislatively mandated report, 1999 and 2000 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 crosstabulated information on DUI arrests, convictions, court sanctions, administrative actions and alcoholinvolved accidents. In addition, this report provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of alternative court and administrative sanctions (including alcohol treatment programs and license actions) upon the 1-year postconviction records of first and second DUI offenders over a time period of ten years. The postconviction driving records of second DUI offenders arrested in 1997 and 1999 were evaluated for 3- and 1-year periods, respectively. An additional analysis was conducted on the effectiveness of alcohol education programs upon the 1-year post conviction records of those convicted of the reduced charge of alcohol-related reckless driving. |
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| 193 | 2002/ 01 |
Department of Motor Vehicles Post-Licensing Control Management Information System Fiscal Year 2000/2001An early Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) study (Poon, 1979) described the need for operational process measures to be tracked over time to provide departmental management with objective measures for assessing the success of departmental operations in meeting management expectations. |
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| 195 | 2002/ 05 |
AN EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IGNITION INTERLOCK IN CALIFORNIACalifornia law requires judges to sentence offenders convicted of driving on a DUI-suspended driver license (DWS-DUI) to install an ignition interlock device (IID) on any vehicle that they own or operate. In addition, repeat DUI offenders can reduce their suspension period by half and obtain a restricted license by installing an IID. This report presents the results of a process study of the degree to which California’s IID laws have been implemented. The process evaluation consists of several components. DWS-DUI and DUI offenders were tracked through law enforcement, DMV, court and ignition installer records to obtain data on rates of DWS convictions, court-IID orders, IID installations and offender success on the IID program. In addition, DMV records were utilized to obtain data on court-IID orders throughout the state, over time and jurisdictions. Finally, judges, district/city attorneys and offenders were surveyed to obtain data on barriers to the use of IIDs, and attitudes and opinions of the devices. The results of the process studies showed that DWS conviction rates were less than 20%, courtIID order rates for DWS-DUI convictees, for whom such an order is required by law, were only about 25%, and only a minority of offenders ordered to install a device complied and installed an interlock. In addition, relatively few repeat DUI offenders chose to obtain a restricted license by installing an IID. While some recommendations are made for improving the current IID countermeasure system, it is strongly recommended that the current IID laws remain unchanged until the r |
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| 56 | 1976/ 06 |
Driving Record and Recidivism Following the Purging of Driver Control Action FilesTo evaluate adequacy of the department's driver action purge policies by analyzing the subsequent driving record of subjects whose files had been previously purged. |
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| NRN069 | 1976/ 01 |
Comprehensive Long Range PlanTo summarize the department's plans for improving its effectiveness and service to the public, using a management-by-objectives (MBO) approach and moving beyond the two-year budget cycle in planning. |
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| 210 | 2004/ 09 |
AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IGNITION INTERLOCK IN CALIFORNIAThis study is one of two studies of ignition interlock in California mandated by the California Legislature (AB 762). The first study, published in 2002, was a process evaluation that examined the degree to which ignition interlock has been implemented in California. This current study is an outcome evaluation that examines the effectiveness of ignition interlock in reducing alcohol-related crashes and convictions, and crashes overall (alcohol and nonalcohol). The results of the study show that interlock works for some offenders in some contexts, but not for all offenders in all situations. More specifically, ignition interlock devices work best when they are installed, although there is also some evidence that judicial orders to install an interlock are effective for repeat DUI offenders, even when not all offenders comply and install a device. California’s administrative program, where repeat DUI offenders install an interlock device in order to obtain restricted driving privileges, is also associated with reductions in subsequent DUI incidents. One group for whom ignition interlock orders do not appear effective is first DUI offenders with high blood alcohol levels. |
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| 134 | 1992/ 01 |
1992 Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information SystemTo start the publication of a yearly comprehensive data and monitoring system (or management information system) to provide measures of DUI system performance. |
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| 145 | 1995/ 01 |
1995 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA DUI MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMIn this fourth annual report, 1992 and 1993 DUI data from several diverse sources were compiled and cross-referenced for the purpose of developing a single comprehensive DUI data and monitoring system. This report presents crosstabulated information on DUI arrests, convictions, court sanctions, administrative actions and alcohol-involved accidents. In addition, this report provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of alternative court and administrative sanctions (including alcohol treatment programs and license actions) upon the postconviction records of first and second DUI offenders. The postconviction driving records of DUI offenders arrested in 1989, 1991, and 1992 were evaluated for four-, two-, and one-year periods, respectively. |
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| 162 | 1996/ 05 |
Predicting DUI Recidivism. Volume 1: Blood Alcohol Concentration and Driver Record FactorsThis study examined the relationship between BAC at arrest, driving history, and other demographic factors, and the 1-year post-arrest probability of recidivism for DUI convictees. BAC-only prediction models, complex prediction models involving many factors found on the driver record, and simple prediction models containing two or three factors were developed. All models found a third degree or cubic relationship between BAC and recidivism, and showed recidivism to be high at a BAC of 0.00%, decreasing down to a BAC of about 0.09%, increasing to a BAC of about 0.29%, and then decreasing again to a BAC of 0.35%+. High rates of recidivism at high BACs suggest alcohol dependency, while at low BACs other impairing substances are likely to be involved. The mean rate of DUI recidivism for offenders who refused to be tested for alcohol was the same as the mean rate for BAC-tested offenders who had prior DUIs at the time of the arrest. |
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| 263 | 2023/ 04 |
2022 Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information SystemIn 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. |
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