A traffic safety evaluation of California's traffic violator school citation dismissal policy.
BACKGROUND
This study evaluated California's traffic violator school (TVS) citation dismissal policy.


METHODS
This study identified and compared two large samples of drivers either completing a TVS (N=210,015) or convicted of a traffic citation (N=168,563).


RESULTS
Prior to adjudication, the TVS group had characteristics (e.g., lower prior conviction rate and smaller proportion of males) that were predictive of a lower subsequent crash risk. However, the TVS group exhibited significantly more crashes than did the convicted group in the subsequent one-year period. The difference (4.83%) increased to 10% after adjusting for the more favorable characteristics of the TVS group. The TVS group also had a higher adjusted subsequent crash rate at each prior driver record entry level, reflecting a loss in the general and specific deterrence of the non-conviction masked status of TVS dismissed citations. It was reported that the TVS dismissal policy results in approximately 12,300 additional crashes annually with economic costs of approximately $398,000,000.


CONCLUSIONS
The avoidance of licensing actions resulting from the dismissal policy assists in explaining why the driving public is exposed to an increased crash risk. A number of recommendations are offered to reduce the negative traffic safety impact of the TVS citation dismissal policy.
Gebers
Michael A
MA
Department of Motor Vehicles Research and Development Branch 2570 24th Street, MS: H126 Sacramento, CA 95818, USA. mgebers@dmv.ca.gov
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001336:Automobiles / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D015982:Bias; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D057216:Propensity Score; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012574:Schools / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013223:Statistics as Topic