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

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
12 1963/ 02

California Vehicle Registrations and Driver Licenses – 1946-1961

By: R. S. Coppin & R. C. Peck

To produce an extension of the 1959 Department of Motor Vehicles report titled "California Vehicle Registrations and Drivers Licenses, 1946-1958" (Research Report No.1) for the years 1959, 1960, and 1961. The report should be useful as a basic set of historical statistical information regarding California vehicle registrations and drivers' licenses.

VII
13 1963/ 03

Migration to California

By: Ronald S. Coppin & G. van Oldenbeek

Through a survey, to describe the origin, county of California residence, age, and sex composition of 31,358 households registering out-of-state vehicles in California.

VII
15 1963/ 07

The Totally Deaf Driver in California, Part I

By: Ronald S. Coppin & Raymond C. Peck

To determine whether or not the driving records of deaf drivers differ from those of non-deaf drivers, and whether or not deafness or other factors are responsible for any differences found. Specifically, the study was designed to ascertain whether the deaf driver represents a special risk to public safety and, if so, to suggest any necessary licensing restrictions or unique training needs.

VI
16 1964/ 12

The Totally Deaf Driver in California, Part II

By: Ronald S. Coppin & Raymond C. Peck

To determine whether or not the driving records of deaf drivers differ from those of non-deaf drivers, and whether or not deafness or other factors are responsible for any differences found. Specifically, the study was designed to ascertain whether the deaf driver represents a special risk to public safety and, if so, to suggest any necessary licensing restrictions or unique training needs.

VI
17 1965/ 01

A Re-Evaluation of Group Driver Improvement Meetings

By: Ronald S. Coppin, William C. Marsh, & Raymond C. Peck

The group approach originally evaluated in 1961 (Coppin, Report #9) was re-evaluated to determine if the program was still effective. Both studies utilized a control group for comparison, although assignment to treatment was not random. Both reports indicated that the approach was an effective means of reducing violations, but there was no evidence of reduced accident frequency. It was recommended that different types of group and individual approaches be tried so that an optimum approach could be developed. It was also recommended that classical experimental design procedures be used in subsequent evaluations, including randomization.

III
18 1965/ 01

Driving Under Suspension and Revocation: A Study of Suspended and Revoked Drivers Classified as Negligent Operators

By: G. van Oldenbeek & Ronald S. Coppin

To examine a six-year record of 1,326 negligent operators who were suspended or revoked to determine how many continued to drive and how many were convicted of this offense as well as the violation for which they were stopped.

III
20 1967/ 07

An Administrative Abstract of the 1964 California Driver Record Study

By: Harrington & Peck

The purpose of this abstract is to provide the administrator with a convenient access to the more important findings of the study, written in relatively non-technical language.

IV
21 1965/ 02

The Teen-Aged Driver – Report 21

By: Gareth S. Ferdun, Ronald S. Coppin & Raymond C. Peck

To examine the accident and conviction records of teenaged drivers to determine whether or not a change in the licensing age was warranted and whether or not behind-the-wheel driver training was effective in reducing accidents and convictions.

IV
22 1965/ 10

The Effectiveness of Short Individual Driver Improvement Sessions

By: Ronald S. Coppin, Raymond C. Peck, Alan Lew, & William C. Marsh

To evaluate the effect of individual hearings on the subsequent driver records of negligent operators

III
23 1966/ 01

The Fatal Accident Reexamination Program in California

By: Ronald S. Coppin & G. van Oldenbeek

To establish a descriptive profile of the re-examined fatal accident driver and to evaluate three-year prior and subsequent driving records of such drivers.

III