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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 222 | 2007/ 01 |
2007 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA DUI MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMIn this sixteenth annual legislatively-mandated report, 2004 and 2005 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 alcohol-involved crashes. In addition, this report provides 1-year proportions of DUI recidivism and crash rates for first and second DUI offenders arrested in each year over a time period of fifteen years. Also, the long-term recidivism curves of the cumulative proportions of DUI reoffenses are shown for all DUI offenders arrested in 1994. Analyses were conducted on the effectiveness of alcohol education programs upon the 1-year postconviction records of those convicted of the reduced charge of alcohol-related reckless driving, and on the effectiveness of the 3-month versus 6-month alcohol education programs on the 1-year postconviction records of first offenders. Two additional subanalyses were conducted to determine if differences on the outcome measures were related to BAC level (below .20 and .20 and above). The proportions of 2004 convicted first and second offenders who completed their alcohol education/treatment program requirement are also presented. |
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| 236 | 2012/ 01 |
2012 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA DUI MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMIn this twenty-first annual legislatively-mandated report, 2009 and 2010 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 alcohol-involved crashes. In addition, this report provides 1-year proportions of DUI recidivism and crash rates for first and second DUI offenders arrested in each year over a time period of 20 years. Also, the long term recidivism curves of the cumulative proportions of DUI reoffenses are shown for all DUI offenders arrested in 1994. Two analyses were conducted to evaluate if referrals to DUI programs were associated with reductions in 1-year subsequent violations and crashes among those convicted of the reduced charge of alcohol-related reckless driving, and if referrals to the 9-month DUI program were associated with reductions in 1-year subsequent violations 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 2009, who were referred, enrolled, and completed DUI programs are also presented. |
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| 246 | 2014/ 01 |
2014 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA DUI MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMIn this twenty-third annual legislatively-mandated report, 2011 and 2012 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, court sanctions, administrative actions, and 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 in each year over a time period of 22 years. Also, the long-term recidivism curves of the cumulative proportions of DUI reoffenses are shown for all DUI offenders arrested in 1994. Two analyses were conducted to evaluate if referrals to DUI programs were associated with reductions in 1-year subsequent violations 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 violations 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 2011, who were referred, enrolled, and completed DUI programs are also presented. |
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| 247 | 2015/ 01 |
General Deterrent Evaluation of the Ignition Interlock Pilot Program in CaliforniaThis study presents a general deterrence evaluation of the ignition interlock pilot program mandated by Assembly Bill 91 for the counties of Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Tulare during the period of July 1, 2010 through January 1, 2016. This pilot program requires convicted first and repeat DUI offenders to install an IID on all vehicles they own or operate for a pre-specified time period in order to obtain a restricted, reissued, or reinstated driver’s license. The present study analyzes DUI conviction data from July 2007 through June 2013. The results indicate that IID installation rates among all DUI offenders increased dramatically in the pilot counties from 2.1% during the pre-pilot period to 42.4% during the pilot period. The results of the Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) analyses show that the IID pilot program was not associated with a reduction in the number of first-time and repeat DUI convictions in the pilot counties. In other words, no evidence was found that the pilot program has a general deterrence effect. A follow-up study is being conducted to determine if the pilot program has any specific deterrence effects. It is recommended that any subsequent legislative action on this subject take into consideration the findings of this specific deterrence evaluation. This evaluation is anticipated to be completed in the fall of 2015. |
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| NRN066 | 1969/ 12 |
Conviction Rate for a Sample of Citations Issued by the California Highway PatrolTo gain information on the composition and disposition of citations issued by the California Highway Patrol for violations of California's road laws. |
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| NRN068 | 1972/ 12 |
An Optimum System for Traffic Enforcement/Driver Control-Volume IV: The Evaluation of the Recommendations Made by the Consulting FirmTo provide background information regarding the Sylvania study (preceding page), and to identify areas of concern to management and resultant actions taken; to present a matrix of the major study recommendations with the involved departments' stands and status on each. (Departments: OTS - Office of Traffic Safety, DMV - Department of Motor Vehicles, AOC - Administrative Office of the Courts, Judicial Council, and CHP California Highway Patrol.) |
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| 257 | 2018/ 10 |
2017 Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information SystemIn this twenty-sixth annual legislatively-mandated report, 2014 and 2015 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 crosstabulated 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 in each year over a time period of 25 years. Also, the long-term recidivism curves of the cumulative proportions of DUI reoffenses are shown for all DUI offenders arrested in 2005. An analysis was conducted to evaluate 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 2014, who were referred, enrolled, 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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| 158 | 1995/ 09 |
The General Deterrent Impact of California’s 0.08% Blood Alcohol concentration Limit and Administrative Per Se License Suspension LawsThis project evaluated the effects of two new driving-under-the-influence (DUI) laws implemented in California. The first law, effective January 1, 1990, reduced California’s illegal per se limit to 0.08% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and the second, effective July 1, 1990, imposed an administrative per se (APS) pre-conviction license suspension on DUI offenders. Intervention time series analysis was used to evaluate the deterrent impact of these laws on the general population of DUI offenders as measured by the effects on alcohol-related traffic accidents. |
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| 165 | 1997/ 01 |
1997 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA DUI MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMIn this sixth annual legislatively mandated report, 1994 and 1995 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 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 postconviction records of first and second DUI offenders. The postconviction driving records of DUI offenders arrested in 1989, 1992, and 1994 were evaluated for six-, three-, and one-year periods, respectively. |
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| 124 | 1989/ 10 |
Prediction of Driving Record following Two Major Convictions or Three Alcohol-Related IncidentsTo identify high-risk subgroups of drivers having two major convictions or three alcohol-related incidents. |
IV |