This study applied methodological refinements to the 1991 departmental evaluation of the traffic violator school (TVS) citation dismissal policy. 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). 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 also demonstrated that approximately 15,000 Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) Level 3 (probation/suspension hearings) and 6,000 NOTS Level 4 (probation violator sanctions) interventions are circumvented annually because of TVS dismissals. The demonstrated effectiveness of the NOTS interventions in reducing crash risk of treated drivers assists in explaining why the driving public is exposed to an increased crash risk as a result of their avoidance. A number of recommendations are offered to reduce the negative traffic safety impact of the TVS citation dismissal policy. (Author/publisher)
Abstract