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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 103 | 1986/ 03 |
A Confidence Interval Approach to the Development of Blood Alcohol Concentration ChartsTo develop blood alcohol concentration charts based on confidence interval estimates |
VII | |
| 31 | 1970/ 03 |
Projected Motor Vehicle Registration and Drivers Licenses Outstanding, 1970-85To prepare a set of estimated vehicle registrations to 1985, by county, for each of the four classes of vehicles --passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers. |
VII | |
| NRN098 | 1987/ 04 |
A Queueing Model of Customer Waiting Time in DMV Field OfficesTo develop a computerized queueing model for use in DMV field offices for possible reduction of customer waiting time. |
VII | |
| 13 | 1963/ 03 |
Migration to CaliforniaThrough 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 | |
| 14.1 | 1963/ 01 |
An Evaluation of “Plate to Owner” Vs “Plate to Vehicle” Registration MethodsTo determine the advantages and disadvantages of issuing license plates to owners of motor vehicles versus issuing license plates to vehicles. To investigate effects of issuing plates to owners on the public, government, industry, and other groups. |
VII | |
| 53 | 1975/ 09 |
Language Survey – Summary Report of a Statewide Field Office Survey Taken to Determine Language Characteristics of Non-English SpeakingTo conduct a survey to determine the number of non-English-speaking persons attempting to utilize services provided at DMV facilities. |
VII | |
| IM4 | 1981/ 07 |
An Estimate of the Rate at Which Vehicle Values Depreciate for Use in Calculating Vehicle License FeesTo determine how much vehicle license fee (VLF) revenue is lost due to the VLF depreciation structure underestimating the actual retail value of used vehicles. |
VII | |
| IM5 | 1981/ 11 |
Use Tax SurveyTo compare reported purchase prices in use-tax transactions with wholesale Kelley Blue Book prices, in order to determine whether purchasers of used vehicles from private parties tended to underreport the amount they paid. |
VII | |
| NRN103 | 1991/ 01 |
Driving Simulator ReviewTo review and evaluate the technology, costs, and _unresolved issues of contention related to driving simulators; to reach conclusions, based on research studies, about the validity of using driving simulators. |
VII | |
| 132 | 1990/ 10 |
Summary of Proceedings of the Conference on Driver Competency Assessment, October 24-26, 1990, San Diego, CaliforniaTo present presentations given at this conference, which represents the second phase in a long-range effort to enhance the competency of the California driving public. |
VII |