A 1997 DMV study evaluating the effectiveness of vehicle impoundment in California found that it was associated with significant declines in subsequent crashes, moving violation convictors and driving-while-suspended/driving-while-unlicensed convictions. However, apart from the information provided by this study, little else is known about vehicle impoundment in California, because the no centralised information that could be used to monitor the integrity of vehicle impoundment in California, and also to assist Legislators in making informed policy decisions on impoundment. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether it is feasible to develop a statewide vehicle impoundment database, preferable using existing reporting systems and databases so that the creation of the database would not add significant new tasks and responsibilities on law enforcement. An interagency task force was convened to explore the feasibility of creating a statewide impoundment database and, if feasible, to develop a model of the database. The task force determined that it is feasible to develop the database, and recommend that it be based upon an existing system in which law enforcement agencies report vehicle impoundment actions to be Department of Justice's Stolen Vehicle System database. (Author/publisher)
Abstract