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.

393 Results

Report ID Date Published Title Section Links
3 1960/ 02

The Drunk Driver – An Inventory of 200 Representative Cases

By: Research & Development

To conduct an inventory of the prior records of 200 representative cases selected at random from the group of all cases suspended or revoked during the six month periodfrom July 1, 1959, through December 31, 1959.

III PDF
30.1 1969/ 08

An Abstract of Modifying Negligent Driving Behavior Through Warning Letters

By: Robin S. McBride & Raymond C. Peck

To investigate the relative impact of various types of warning letters on the subsequent driving record of negligent drivers. Levels of threat and intimacy were manipulated.

III PDF
68 1978/ 12

An Evaluation of Alcohol Abuse Treatment as an Alternative to Drivers License Suspension or Revocation (Final Report to the Legislature in Accord with Senate Bill (SB) 38-Gregorio)

By: Roger E. Hagen, Rickey L. Williams, Edward J. McConnell, & Charles W. Fleming

To assess the traffic safety impact of using the alcohol abuse treatment strategy as an alternative to license suspension or revocation; to assess the impact of treatment program participation or license suspension/ revocation on a driver's life style; to develop guidelines or recommendations concerning the structure of a first-offender program based upon the results of the SB 330 evaluation and knowledge of the state-of-the-art; and to provide guidelines or recommendations concerning future program or evaluation needs.

III PDF
70 1979/ 07

An Evaluation of Probation-by-Mail as an Alternative to Mandatory Hearing Attendance for Negligent Operators

By: Beverly R. Sherman & Michael Ratz

To evaluate the feasibility and traffic safety implications of placing negligent operators on probation by letter without the subjects being scheduled for a hearing.

III PDF
77.1 1981/ 12

An Abstract of An Evaluation of Three Alternative Formats for Probation Violation Hearings

By: Rickey L. Williams & Roger E. Hagen

To develop and evaluate new formats hearings which incorporate behavior caseload-scheduling approach. for negligent operator probation violator modificatiol1 principles and a client

III PDF
08 1961/ 02

Control of the Negligent Driver–Part I: Characteristics of Negligent Drivers

By: Ronald S. Coppin & Ira Samuels

To discover if there are characteristics differentiating negligent drivers from the "average" driver, and if relationships exist between actual driving performance and mileage driven, occupation, age, or sex.

III PDF
102 110 115 117 128 137 2020/ 04

Negligent-Operator Treatment Evaluation System (NOTES): Program Effectiveness Reports

 III PDF
104 1986/ 01

An Evaluation of the Impact of a Warning Letter for First-Time DUI Offenders (Volume 6 of “An Evaluation of the California Drunk Driving Countermeasure System”)

By: Gary Arstein-Kerslake

To develop, implement, and evaluate a package consisting of a warning letter and pamphlet suitable for the first-DUI offender.

III PDF
107 1986/ 05

An Evaluation of the California Habitual Traffic Offender Law

By: Clifford J. Helander

To evaluate the California habitual traffic offender law (AB 3529 - Mountjoy) interms of: (1) the number of habitual traffic offenders (HTO) identified, (2) their prosecution and conviction rates, and (3) the degree of traffic safety risk posed by HTOs

III PDF
11 1962/ 10

Control of the Negligent Driver–Part II: Driving Performance of Negligent Drivers

By: Ronald S. Coppin & G. van Oldenbeek

To make thorough and comparative analyses of performance of negligent drivers before and after departmental action, and of the differences, if any, associated with age, type of action taken, mileage driven, occupation, sex, type of license, and other factors or combinations of factors.

III PDF