UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC)

FACT

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH

BLESSING UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC)

THE CHINESE 3D BUS

Major Events in 2011 3

Interview with Blessing 4

Fuel Efficiency 8

Seatbelt Myth 10

The Chinese 3D Bus 12

Many More

Inside this issue:

Publisher: Osita Chidoka Corps Marshal/Chief Executive

Editor–In–Chief:OC Oladele (DCC)

Editor: KD Alegieuno (ARC)

Members:

VO Ogunnupebi (ACC)

AR Obagbemiro (SRC)

CB Nwokolo ARC)

DO Enakireru (ARC)

0I Ikoku (ARC)

EDITORIAL BOARD

Volume 1, Issue 7

FRSC N i ger i a : st ro ng l y comm i tted to the UN

Decade o f Ac t i o n

Insight

KNOWING A LITTLE ABOUT EVERYTHING

The Chinese 3D bus can

save up to 860 tons of fuel

per year, thereby reducing

2,640 tons of carbon

Insight newsletter- July 2011 Edition

2

Have you ever wondered

why a man may live his life

successfully and not fart,

or even when he farts, it

would not smell? Physi-

cians believe that if a man

routinely uses the loo

every morning, he will not

fart. I think this is also

true of automobiles that

are regularly maintained.

Automobile manufactur-

ers boast that, vehicles

when regularly main-

tained, driven by a quali-

fied person and in confor-

mity with traffic regula-

tions would never break

down or be involved in a

crash. The same principle

can be extended to an or-

ganisation or country that

desires progress. Pro-

gress requires dexterity

and agility to multi – func-

Some facts about the Af-

rican elephant

-Like human beings, ele-

phants show great respect

for their dead. They bury

them under tree branches

and mourn for them.

-Reports has it that when

elephants come across the

bones of a dead elephant,

they stop briefly to pay re-

spect.

-They have very good mem-

ory. Elephants remember and

can retrace their grazing

routes even if they revisit

them after several years.

Some facts about the

African lions:

-Unlike all the other African

big cats, lions are social ani-

mals, living in prides consist-

ing of up to three males,

several more females and

their cubs.

-Though they are the re-

puted ―king of the jungle‖,

lions are actually quite lazy. -

-The female lions (lionesses)

do most of the hunting, while

the males defend their

pride‘s territory.

in West Africa.

Culled from

www.africaguide.com/wildlife

tion.

Our cover this month

projects the multi – func-

tionability in Blessing, a

young Assistant Route

Commander in Finance

and Accounts dept in

RSHQ. Blessing, on a

first contact, portrays a

false look of an ordinary

girl next street. As young

as she is, Blessing is al-

ready a chartered ac-

countant and represents

Nigeria as an interna-

tional tennis player. She

is also a professional

dancer. How she combines

these activities reflects

discipline and hard work.

The FRSC of the future

requires men and women

that are multi – func-

tional in delivering road

safety to Nigerians.

The story of the 3 – D

coaches in China is inspi-

rational in solving traffic

gridlocks on Nigerian in-

tra city highways.

The regular stories are

can also be read in this

edition.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

3

January

-January 11: Flooding and mudslides in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro kill more than

800.

-January 14:The Tunisian government falls after a month of increasingly violent protests;

President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali flees to Saudi Arabia after 23 years in power.

-January 24: At least 37 people are killed and more than 180 others wounded in a bomb-

ing at Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow, Russia.

-February 11:Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns after widespread protests calling

for his departure, leaving control of Egypt in the hands of the military until a general

election can be held.

-March 11: A 9.1-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the east of Japan,

killing over 15,000 and leaving another 8,000 missing.

-April 11: Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo is arrested in his home in Abidjan by

supporters of elected President Alassane Ouattara with support from French forces

thereby ending the 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis and civil war.

-June 4: Chile's Puyehue volcano erupts, causing air traffic cancellations across South

America, New Zealand, Australia and forcing over 3,000 people to evacuate.

-July 7 – The world's first artificial organ transplant is achieved, using an artificial wind-

pipe coated with stem cells.

-July 9 – South Sudan secedes from Sudan, per the result of the independence referen-

dum held in January.

-July 20: Goran Hadžić is detained in Serbia, becoming the last of 161 people indicted by

the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

-July 20:The United Nations declares a famine in southern Somalia, the first in over

thirty years.

-July 21:– Space Shuttle Atlantis lands successfully at Kennedy Space Center after com-

pleting STS-135, concluding NASA's space shuttle program

Culled from Wikipedia Encyclopedia

Insight newsletter- July Edition

SOME MAJOR EVENTS IN 2011

4

Who does not like success, whether it

comes in the form of passing a promo-

tion examination, making a sudden

breakthrough in a research or winning

a competition? Every sane man should.

Like most good things in life, enduring

success do not come cheaply, there is

always a price tag attached to it This

can be in form of your time, persis-

tence, patience, mental and physical

labour and even so much more. Yet, it

is often worth the while. As Theodore

Roosevelt put it, ―The credit belongs to

those who are actually in the arena,

who strive valiantly; who know the

great enthusiasms, the great devo-

tions, and spend themselves in a wor-

thy cause; who at the best, know the

triumph of high achievement; and who,

at the worst, if they fail, fail while

daring greatly, so that their place shall

never be with those cold and timid

souls who know neither victory nor de-

feat.‖

Permit me to invite you into the life of

Blessing Ugboaku Anuna (ARC), a young

lady who has ICAN and NIM attached

to her CV, at present she is preparing

for the All African Games to be held in

Mozambique if she eventually qualifies

and picks up a medal at the completion,

it will add to here numerous feats in

sports. As you read this all rousing and

mind blowing interview, take time to

reflect on your own dreams. Get into the

arena and fill your life with meaning and en-

during goals.

INS: May we meet you

Blessing: My name is Blessing Ugboaku

Anuna from Akabo village, Ikealuru local

government area of Imo State.

INS: Tell us about your educational back-

ground

Blessing: I started my primary school at

the Akabo primary school where I finished

in 1992. Between 1993 and 1995, I at-

tended the Surulere Girls Secondary

School where I first met with Oluchi On-

weagba, the first MNET face of Africa. We

were class mates. I thereafter proceeded

to Comprehensive High School, Enugu where

I obtained my senior secondary school cer-

tificate in 1999. I obtained my Bsc in Ac-

counting from Enugu State University of

Science and technology in 2005 and I fin-

ished my NYSC service in 2007, got my

NIM in 2008 and ICAN in 2009.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BLESSING UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC)

5

African games camping.

INS: In what ways do you think your

feats will contribute to the growth of the

Corps?

Blessing: Tennis is a sport that helps you

mentally and physically. Because the sport

requires concentration, it builds your con-

centration ability hence improving your

productivity in the work place. Today, I

have introduced some staff into the game

and they enjoy it. With my ICAN, I know

I can contribute positively to the growth

of the Corps, especially in the area of

public accounting.

INS: How do you strike a balance between

your academics and sports?

I have never been a professional tennis

player in my life. My couch said that if I

had ever been a full time tennis player,

Nigeria would have produced another

Serena Williams. I make it a point of duty

to put extra effort in my academics when-

ever I go for training. Between 1999 to

2006 I was already in top 16 while still

doing very well in my academics.

INS: Who is your role model?

Blessing: I would have said my mum but

she is late. She was beautiful and brainy.

She was a standard for all of us in the

family. In the Corps, Commander Oyeyemi,

MFR is my role model. In sports, Serena

Williams is my role model. She is every-

thing I want to be in the world of sports.

I joined the Corps in August 2008

where I was posted to the Training

Department. Presently I am in the Ac-

count and Finance Department, RSHQ,

Abuja.

INS: We understand that you are into

sports which of the games do you

play?

Blessing: Tennis

INS: Tells us about some of the com-

petitions you have attended?

Blessing: I played my first competition

in 1999 during the All Schools

UniPetrol Competition. In 2002 I at-

tended the National Sports Festival in

Benin, where I won 2 bronze medals

(singles and double). I won a bronze

medal at the 2003 NOGA games. I

beat a white lady from Portuguese to

qualify for the quarter final during

the Ogbe Hand Court International

competition. In 2009, I played the

Governor‘s Cup and in 2010 I played

the Port Harcourt Opens. That Same

year I reached the semi final at the

Dala Hand Court in Kano in both the

singles and double. This is my 2nd All

Insight newsletter -July Edition

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BLESSING UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC)

6

INS: How will you want to see the

Corps in the next 100 years from

now?

Blessing: Flawless. Perfect. With the

way the Corps is moving, I strongly

believe it will get there.

INS: What advice do you have to your

fellow officers?

Blessing: Love your job, get dedicated

to your duties and be honest. Be who

you are in and outside the office. Do

the right thing because it is right and

not because someone is watching you.

INS: What are your hobbies?

Blessing: Swimming, singing and danc-

ing

INS: Are you married?

Blessing: No, I am single

INS: Wishing you success in the forth

coming All African Games

A leader, once convinced that a

particular course of action is the right

one, must....be undaunted when the going

gets tough.

Ronald Reagan

Fight one more round. When your arms

are so tired that you can hardly lift your

hands to come on guard, fight one more

round. When your nose is bleeding and

your eyes are black and you are so tired

that you wish your opponent would crack

you one on the jaw and put you to sleep,

fight one more round - remembering

that the man who always fights one

more round is never whipped.

James Corbett

Determination is the wake-up call to the

human will.

Anthony (Tony) Robbins

The only way to find the limits of the

possible is by going beyond them to the

impossible.

Arthur C. Clarke

It‘s a very funny thing about life; if you

refuse to accept anything but the best,

you very often get it. William Somerset

Maugham

The more you prepare, the luckier you

appear.

Terry Josephson

Insight newsletter- July Edition

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH

BLESSING UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC) BE INPIRED!

7

Insight newsletter- July Edition

BLESSING‗S PIX DURING ONE OF HER TRAINING SESSIONS

8

Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal

efficiency, meaning the efficiency of

a process that converts chemical po-

tential energy contained in a carrier

fuel into kinetic energy or work.

Overall fuel efficiency may vary per

device, which in turn may vary per ap-

plication, and this spectrum of vari-

ance is often illustrated as a continu-

ous energy profile. Non-

transportation applications, such as

industry, benefit from increased fuel

efficiency, especially fossil fuel power

plants or industries dealing with com-

bustion, such as ammonia production

during the Haber process.

In the context of transport, fuel ef-

ficiency or fuel economy, is the en-

ergy efficiency of a particular vehicle,

and is given as a ratio of distance

travelled per unit of fuel consumed.

Fuel efficiency is expressed in miles

per gallon (mpg) (prevalent in the USA

and UK, using their respective defini-

tions of a gallon) or kilometres per li-

tre (km/L) (prevalent in several Latin

America and Asian countries such as

Brazil, India and Japan). The reciprocal

ratio, "fuel consumption", is usually ex-

pressed in liters per 100 kilometers

(L/100 km) (common in Europe, Canada,

New Zealand and Australia) or litres

per mil (Norway/Sweden).

Variations on a vehicle's fuel effi-

ciency include weight-specific effi-

ciency for freight, and passenger-

specific efficiency (vehicle efficiency

/ number of passengers).

VEHICLE DESIGN

Fuel efficiency is dependent on many

parameters of a vehicle, including its

engine parameters, aerodynamic drag,

weight, and rolling resistance. There

have been advances in all areas of vehi-

cle design in recent decades.

Hybrid vehicles use two or more power

sources for propulsion. In many de-

signs, a small combustion engine is com-

bined with electric motors. Kinetic en-

ergy which would otherwise be lost to

heat during braking is recaptured as

electrical power to improve fuel effi-

ciency.

FLEET EFFICIENCY

Fleet efficiency describes the average

efficiency of a population of vehicles.

Technological advances in efficiency

may be offset by a change in buying

habits with a propensity to heavier ve-

hicles, which are less efficient, all else

being equal.

ENERGY CONTENT OF FUEL

The specific energy content of a fuel is

the heat energy obtained when a certain

quantity is burned (such as a gallon, litre,

kilogram).

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FUEL EFFICIENCY 0I Ikoku (ARC)

9

It is sometimes called the heat of

combustion. There exist two different

values of specific heat energy for the

same batch of fuel. One is the high (or

gross) heat of combustion and the

other is the low (or net) heat of com-

bustion. The high value is obtained

when, after the combustion, the water

in the exhaust is in liquid form. For the

low value, the exhaust has all the water

in vapor form (steam). Since water va-

por gives up heat energy when it

changes from vapor to liquid, the liquid

water value is larger since it includes

the latent heat of vaporization of wa-

ter. The difference between the high

and low values is significant, about 8 or

9%. This accounts for most of the ap-

parent discrepancy in the heat value of

gasoline. In the U.S. (and the table on

the next page) the high heat values

have traditionally been used, but in

many other countries, the low heat val-

ues are commonly used.

Neither the gross heat of combustion

nor the net heat of combustion gives

the theoretical amount of mechanical

energy (work) that can be obtained

from the reaction. (This is given by the

change in Gibbs free energy, and is

around 45.7 MJ/kg for gasoline.) The

actual amount of mechanical work ob-

tained from fuel (the inverse of the

specific fuel consumption) depends on

the engine. A figure of 17.6 MJ/kg is

possible with a gasoline engine, and

19.1 MJ/kg for a diesel engine. See

Brake specific fuel consumption for

more information.

FUEL EFFICIENCY OF VEHICLES

The fuel efficiency of vehicles can be

expressed in more ways:

Fuel consumption is the amount of fuel

used per unit distance; for example,

litres per 100 kilometres (L/100 km).

In this case, the lower the value, the

more economic a vehicle is (the less

fuel it needs to travel a certain dis-

tance); this is the measure generally

used across Europe (except the UK and

Denmark - see below), New Zealand,

Australia and Canada. Also in Uruguay,

Paraguay, Guatemala, Colombia, Japan,

China, and Madagascar, as also in post-

Soviet space.

Fuel economy is the distance travelled

per unit volume of fuel used; for exam-

ple, kilometres per litre (km/L) or

miles per gallon (MPG), where 1 MPG

(imperial) = 0.354013 km/l. In this

case, the higher the value, the more

economic a vehicle is (the more dis-

tance it can travel with a certain vol-

ume of fuel). This measure is popular in

the USA and the UK (mpg), but in

Europe, India, Japan and Latin America

the metric unit km/l is used instead.

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT

EDITION

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FUEL EFFICIENCY 0I Ikoku (ARC)

10

A seatbelt sometimes called

safety belt is a safety harness

designed to secure the occupant

of a vehicle against harmful move-

ment that may result from colli-

sion or a sudden stop.

1.As part of an overall automobile

passive safety system, seatbelts

are intended to reduce injuries by

stopping the wearer from hitting

hard interior elements of the ve-

hicle or other passengers. It also

prevents passengers from being

thrown from the vehicle.

2. Seatbelt also absorbs energy

by being designed to stretch dur-

ing any sudden declaration, so

other safety restraint in vehicle

is the air bag.

It is worthy of note that a lot of

people including pregnant women

habuor myths (negative belief)

about the use of seatbelts. Some

of these common myths and be-

lief about the seatbelt are:

MYTH: I don‘t wear safety belts

because I feel that I would be

trapped if the car caught fire of

if I were to drive into a body of

water and become submerged.

FACT: Less than one half of one

percent of crashes involves fire

or submersion. Using seatbelt pre-

vents occupants from being

knocked unconsciously

or running into other passengers so that

you can get out of the vehicle with least

amount of injury, without a seatbelt you

are likely to be knocked out or too se-

verely injured to leave the vehicle.

MYTH: I don‘t wear safety belts

anymore now that I have a car equipped

with airbags.

FACT: Airbags are designed to be

used in conjunction with safety belts, to

keep you in position in the event of any

crash. To work effectively, airbag comes out of the dashboard at a rate of 200miles per hour. If you are not prop-erly belted, the airbag could kill you. Air-bags provide supplementary protection in front crashes and not rear impact or

rollover crash.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

SEAT BELT MYTHS AND OTHER EXCUSES THAT PEOPLE GIVE

JM Dajangla (SRC) CPEO/RSHQ

11

.MYTH: I buckle up most of the

time, but not if I am just going to

the corner store/ shop a few blocks

from my house.

FACT: The risk of getting into a

serious crash is just as great when

you need to take a quick trip to the

store as it is on a longer trip. 75%

of all serious motor vehicle crash

occurs in crashes that are travelling

under 40 miles per hour. Being

thrown against a dashboard in a

30miles per hour crash is like strik-

ing the ground after falling from a

third floor window. Even a crash at

only 12 miles per hour can be fatal.

MYTH: The safety belt wrinkles

my clothes.

FACT: After going through the

windshield, you won‘t be worried

about clothes.

MYTH: If a pregnant woman uses

the seatbelt, it could kill the unborn

baby.

FACT: The way to protect the

unborn baby is to protect the

mother, she must use the seatbelt.

Unbelted pregnant women are 2.8

times more likely to be exposed to a

fetal death.

“SAY YES TO SEATBELT EVEN

IF YOU ARE PREGNANT”.

Unfocused, distracted and often over tired indi-

viduals cause auto accidents, not particularly men

or women. I have seen men on their mobile

phones, eating sandwiches and picking their noses

as they merrily drive along.

I have seen women checking their hairstyle in the

mirror, turning around to talk to their children

who are sat on the back seat, and fumbling in the

glove compartment for I know not what.

Such attitude often time result to road traffic

crash. I think it really boils down to lack of con-

centration coupled with a complete disregard for

other road users. Such motorists tend to be

thinking only of their own problems while being

oblivious of their immediate environment.

At other times it is due to stress. Being a sensi-

ble and responsible auto user requires the ability

to focus on the task at hand, and is not depended

on the gender of driver.

Sometimes accident may occur as a result of ex-

cessive cautiousness, just as it can come about

from being overzealous. It is great to be careful,

but too much carefulness can cause confusion and

ultimately frayed tempers and indecision.

There again, thankfully, there are those of us

who drive at a reasonable pace, who make good

decisions and who are generally good drivers. To

say that one particular sex causes more auto acci-

dents would probably be unfair to such well be-

haved drivers who are labeled just because of

their gender.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

SEAT BELT MYTHS AND OTHER

EXCUSES THAT PEOPLE GIVE

OPINION

MEN VS. WOMEN: WHO CAUSES MORE

CAR CRASH? AE Umana (ARC), CPL, RSHQ

12

Necessity they say is the mother of in-

vention. China has decided to take the

bull by the horn by inventing something

spectacular. In its quest to tackle the

growing menace of traffic jam, air and

noise pollution, a Chinese company known

as Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equip-

ment Co. has developed a prototype of

an environmental friendly public trans-

port called the 3D bus or straddling bus.

The bus allows cars to drive right under

it. One intriguing feature about the bus

is that it cannot be caught in a traffic

gridlock neither will it slow down other

vehicles as it allows cars to drive under

it.

Its biggest strength is saving road

spaces, efficient and high in capacity. It

can reduce up to 25-30% traffic jams on

main routes. The bus can speed up to

60km/hr and it can take 1,200 to 1,400

people at a time. Interestingly, the bus

can save up to 860 tons of fuel per year,

reducing 2,640 tons of carbon emission.

The model looks like a subway or light-rail

train bestriding the road. It is 4-4.5 metres

high with two levels: passenger‘s board on the

upper level while other vehicles lower than 2

metres can go through under. The straddling

bus which is powered by electricity and solar

energy will be made to fit under city over-

passes.

With the growing traffic in Abuja and other

big cities like Lagos, the Chinese 3D bus will go

a long way curbing the menace of traffic grid-

lock but first we must have a paradigm shift.

We must develop a good road culture by obey-

ing traffic rules and regulations not because

we are afraid to be sanctioned, but because it

is the right thing to do.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

THE CHINESE 3D BUS FOR TACKLING TRAFFIC CONGESSION

13

Never drink alcohol and drive.

Alcohol is a major cause of traffic accidents in many countries. Even small amounts of

alcohol can affect your driving. It is not just people who are obviously drunk who cause

accidents.

The effects of alcohol on driving vary but, in general, they follow the pattern below.

Alcohol may give you a feeling of well-being but, in fact, it is a depressant. Even at low

levels, it worsens your judgment and your driving performance. At higher levels, the

risk of being involved in an accident increases dramatically.

REMEMBER: NEVER drink alcohol and drive

CULLED FROM:

THE AFRICAN HIGHWAY CODE

A GUIDE FOR DRIVERS OF HIGHWAY GOODS VEHICLE (VERSION FOR DRIVING

ON THE RIGHT)

With increasing amounts of alcohol, you are likely to:

Take LONGER to react

Take MORE risks

LOSE control

LOSE your memory

Die

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FITNESS TO DRIVE – ALCOHOL

14

These three functions are achieved by

combining the properties of four basic

components of the helmet that are de-

scribed below;

The shell

This is the strong outer surface of the

helmet that distributes the impact over

a large surface area, and therefore

lessens the force before it reaches the

head. Although the shell is tough, it is

designed to compress when it hits any-

thing hard. It provides protection

against penetration by small, sharp and

high speed objects and it also protects

the padding inside the helmet from

abrasions and knocks during daily use.

These requirements mean that the shell

must be hard, usually with a smooth ex-

terior finish.

The impact-absorbing liner

This is made of a soft, crushable pad-

ded material – usually expanded polysty-

rene, commonly called ―styrofoam‖. This

dense layer cushions and absorbs the

shock as the helmet stops and the

Cont from last month

...or a combination of them. Helmets cre-

ate an additional layer for the head and

thus protect the wearer from some of

the more severe forms of traumatic

brain injury.

How a helmet works

A helmet aims to reduce the risk of seri-

ous head and brain injuries by reducing

the impact of a force or collision to the

head. A helmet works in three ways:

It reduces the deceleration of the

skull, and hence the brain move-

ment, by managing the impact. The

soft material incorporated in the

helmet absorbs some of the im-

pact and therefore the head

comes to a halt more slowly. This

means that the brain does not hit

the skull with such great force.

It spreads the forces of the impact

over a greater surface area so

that they are not concentrated on

particular areas of the skull.

It prevents direct contact between

the skull and the impacting object

by acting as a mechanical barrier

between the head and the object.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD DIE IN MOTORCYCLE COLLI-

SIONS....WHY ARE HELMETS NEEDED? BY CB NWOKOLO ARC

15

head tries to continue moving.

The comfort padding

This is the soft foam-and-cloth layer that

sits next to the head. It helps keep the

head comfortable and the helmet fitting

snugly. The retention system, or chin

strap

This is the mechanism that keeps the hel-

met on the head in a crash. A strap is con-

nected to each side of the shell. Chin and

neck straps, which are specifically de-

signed to keep the helmet on during an im-

pact, must be correctly used for the hel-

met to function as it is designed to.

There are also various styles of helmets

which afford different protection. The

four most common types are:

Full-face helmets

These helmets offer facial protection in

addition to impact protection. Their prin-

cipal feature is a chin bar that extends

outwards, wrapping around the chin and

jaw area. Extending above the jaw,

there is a vision port that allows the

wearer maximum range of sight, in line

with the requirements for peripheral

and vertical vision.

Open-face helmets

These helmets provide protection by

means of a hard outer shell and a crush-

able inner liner. They do not offer pro-

tection for the chin or jaw area and are

rarely equipped with visors. The half-

head helmet may or may not have ear

flaps attached to the retention system.

Helmets for tropical use

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT

EDITION

Insight newsletter- July Edition

MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD DIE IN MOTORCYCLE COLLI-

SIONS....WHY ARE HELMETS NEEDED?

16

Complete Streets Help Reduce

Crashes; A recent study comparing

the United States with Germany and

the Netherlands, where complete

streets are common, found that when

compared per kilometer traveled, bicy-

clist and pedestrian death rates are

two to six times higher in the United

States.

Complete streets therefore improve

safety indirectly, by encouraging non-

motorized travel and increasing the

number of people bicycling and walking.

According to an international study, as

the number and portion of people bicy-

cling and walking increases, deaths and

injuries decline. This is known as the

Safety in Number Hypothesis: more

people walking and biking reduce the

risk per trip (National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-

ministration. US 2009)

A US report by the Federal Highway

Administration review of the

effectiveness of a wide variety of

measures to improve pedestrian safety

found that simply painting crosswalks on

wide high-speed roads does not reduce

pedestrian crashes. But measures that

design the street with pedestrians in

mind – sidewalks, raised medians, better

bus stop placement, traffic-calming

measures, and treatments for disabled

travelers – all improve pedestrian

safety and thereby encourage

―transport diversification‖-to bicycling

and walking.

Mauritius, one of the smallest African

countries, with an estimated annual

budget of equivalent N330 billion,

2,066km road network and an economy

driven by sugar, tourism and textile is

providing free & comfortable transpor-

tation for its entire young people within

school age, the disabled and the aged.

Scooters and segway human transporters

Insight newsletter- July Edition

ALL INCLUSSIVE MOBILITY: THE PLIGHT OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED,

AGED, CHILDREN AND OTHER PEDESTRIANS IN NIGERIAN CITIES (4)

- E.S John (ARC) STOF Special Duties, FRSC HQ Abuja

17

This can be an alternative in Nigeria.

The Abuja Master Plan

By the master plan, the capital city

was designed to be self contained,

with each district having all the fa-

cilities that will not require one walk-

ing or cycling out for the same. As a

result adequate provision was not

made for pedestrian bridges, walk

ways, subways and cycling tracks.

However, the need for bicycling and

walking goes beyond going out to buy

a thing. It‘s a keep fit measure, re-

duces environmental pollution and

low-cost for families and therefore,

an alternative to motorized transpor-

tation which is being advocated for

all over the world.

In line with these, the Corps Marshal

& Chief Executive of the Federal

Road Safety Corps during an interac-

tive section with the press on 14 July

2010 called on the authorities to re-

view the master plan in line with pre-

sent realities and best

global practices for a supposed mega

city like Abuja.

Pedestrian walk ways, flyovers, cy-

cling tracks

It has been noticed over time that,

while we are calling on the authorities

to build road infrastructures with pe-

destrians in mind, the existing foot

bridges are never been used, the few

designated bus tops are not being used,

neither are the various traffic meas-

ures put in place being fully obeyed.

I took part in a rescue operation in May

2008 involving three children from the

same parents who were knocked down

by a vehicle at Taiwo road (Chupet

Stores) frontage, Ilorin where two died

instantly. I also imagined the agony of

the parents of two other children killed

while crossing from their school front-

age to the other side on their way home

after school at Oshogbo. Furthermore,

a national daily which had the same con-

cern interviewed a school pupil who was

seen using the pedestrian bridge at

Nyanya, by Mopol junction in Abuja; he

said that he started using the foot

bridge after his brother was killed by a

vehicle while crossing the road on their

way to school at the same spot. Since

then his parents had insisted that he

uses the bridge.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

ALL INCLUSSIVE MOBILITY: THE PLIGHT OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED,

AGED, CHILDREN AND OTHER PEDESTRIANS IN NIGERIAN CITIES (4)

18

.The school headmaster had also issued

a stem warning that makes it mandatory

for all pupils crossing the road to use

the bridge. The issue is, shall we wait

for all families or schools to have a feel

of it before we use them or compel our

children to use them?

It is a common thing to see people

crowded in the middle of a four-lane

road waiting to scoot between cars to

get across even where there are foot

bridges or other alternatives.

While the authorities have the respon-

sibility of building roads designed with

pedestrians and mobility impaired per-

sons in mind, it is the duty of citizens to

follow lay down rules to ensure that the

roads does not become death traps.

Recommendation

In addition to the recommendations

mentioned so far, the following are

much desired.

Budget; A substantial amount of up to

15% of the National budget for road

construction, maintenance, transporta-

tion and allocation to FERMA should be

specifically set aside for improving pe-

destrian and mobility impaired road us-

ers (sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic calm-

ing, speed humps, bus stops, multi-use

paths, safety programs for pedestrians

and cyclists, vehicles that can accommo-

date wheel chairs etc). This should be

applicable to all states of the federa-

tion and FCT through legislation.

Complete streets. Where traffic calm-

ing seeks to improve safety by reducing

traffic speeds, Complete Streets poli-

cies ensure that future road projects

consistently take into account the needs

of all users,

of all ages and abilities, particularly pe-

destrians and bicyclists. Complete

Streets designs vary from place to

place, but they might feature sidewalks,

bicycle paths, comfortable bus stops,

median islands, frequent crosswalks and

pedestrian signals.

This is no Olympic race but Pedestrians

scooping helplessly through fast moving

traffic at the finance junction along the

area 1- Berger expressway

Insight newsletter- July Edition

ALL INCLUSSIVE MOBILITY: THE PLIGHT OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED,

AGED, CHILDREN AND OTHER PEDESTRIANS IN NIGERIAN CITIES (4)

19

Sweden has 39% walking, 10% cycling

and rates as having the safest roads in

the word with 1 fatality per 10,000 ve-

hicles, Nigeria rates 91st with 161 fatali-

ties per 10,000 vehicles (US Depart-

ment of Transportation). It is common

sense to promote same.

Traffic calming and street design;

Traffic calming includes a host of en-

gineering techniques used to physi-

cally alter existing road design for

the purpose of slowing traffic and im-

proving safety for bicyclists and pe-

destrians. Beyond simply installing

sidewalks, these improvements en-

hance safety through a focus on in-

tersections with features such as pe-

destrian refuge medians, better road

geometry, and signals that give pedes-

trians a ―head start‖ when crossing

roads. Depending on the type of meas-

ure implemented and speed reductions

achieved, traffic calming has reduced

collisions by 20 to 70 percent.

Non-motorized transportation; de-

veloped nations of the world today

are encouraging non motorized trans-

portation in urban centers. It is a re-

liable alternative since it will enhance

physical health, reduce daily expendi-

ture of families, reduce environmental

pollution and reduce vehicular traffic

congestions along our urban roads.

This will encourage Safe Routes to

School program which take a compre-

hensive approach to improving safety

around schools for children walking

and bicycling. The US funds this kind

of program with over 600 million dol-

lars in about five years. For instance

Complete street program in the US

Insight newsletter- July Edition

ALL INCLUSSIVE MOBILITY: THE PLIGHT OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED,

AGED, CHILDREN AND OTHER PEDESTRIANS IN NIGERIAN CITIES (4)

20

Insight newsletter- July Edition

When the chips are down...

"Do not wait; the time will never be ''just right.'' Start where you

stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command,

and better tools will be found as you go along."Napoleon Hill

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what

they sought.—Basho

Try a thing you haven‘t done three times. Once, to get over the

fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to

figure out whether you like it or not.—Virgil Garnett Thomson

We will either find a way or make one.—Hannibal

When the Chips are down , always remember Abraham Lincoln

When the chips are down, probably your best has come

21

Insight newsletter- July Edition

ZEBRA CROSSING

“What is a zebra crossing?‖ Jaiye and Titi asked. ―They are those black and white stripes on

the road where people walking on foot can cross the road,‖ said Mrs. Taiwo. ―Using the Ze-

bra crossing is a safe way to cross the road. Drivers are expected to stop to allow pedestri-

ans who are already on the Zebra to cross the road,‖ said Mr. Taiwo.

WHAT ARE THE PLACES WHERE IT IS NOT SAFE TO CROSS?

*Sharp bends *Just before the top of a hill *Road Junction *Near parked vehicle

*Near reversing vehicles *Between cars

WHAT IS A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING?

A pedestrian crossing is a place on a road set aside for pedestrians to cross safely. While

crossing, all vehicles MUST allow the pedestrian to cross by waiting for the pedestrian to

cross safely before moving on.

SCHOOL CROSSING

The school crossing is a place where school children cross a road often. The road is marked

with paint to show where to cross and there is a Lollipop man/lady around to help the chil-

dren cross safely.

Adapted from ―The Taiwos go vising‖– a children‘s Road Safety publication by Folake Ade-

miluyi

ROAD SAFETY CLUB

22

Insight newsletter- July Edition

WHAT IS IPAD?

iPad is a flat, rectangular computer

with a large, 9.7-inch touch screen on

its face. It is 0.5 inches thick and

weighs 1.5 pounds. It comes in six mod-

els - 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, with or

without 3G connectivity. All models of-

fer Wi-Fi.

iPad is a line of tablet computers de-

signed, developed and marketed by Ap-

ple Inc. primarily as a platform for au-

dio-visual media including books, peri-

odicals, movies, music, games, and web

content. Its size and weight falls be-

tween those of contemporary smart-

phones and laptop computers. The iPad

runs the same operating system as the

iPod Touch and iPhone—and can run its

own applications as well as iPhone appli-

cations. Without modification, the iPad

will only run programs approved by Ap-

ple and distributed via the Apple App

Store (with the exception of programs

that run inside the iPad's web

browser).

According to Economic Times, Apple

might be the first $1 trillion company.

The $342 billion company is now the

most valuable company in the US, sur-

passing Exxon Mobil as at 09 August,

2011.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IPAD AND ANDROID

BRIEF HISTORY

Apple's first tablet computer was the

Newton MessagePad 100, introduced in

1993. This led to the creation of the

ARM6 processor core with Acorn Com-

puters. Apple also developed a prototype

PowerBook Duo-based tablet, the PenLite,

but decided not to sell it in order to avoid

hurting MessagePad sales. Apple released

several more Newton-based PDAs; the

final one, the MessagePad 2100, was dis-

continued in 1998.

Apple re-entered the mobile-computing

markets in 2007 with the iPhone. Smaller

than the iPad but featuring a camera and

mobile phone, it pioneered the multitouch

finger-sensitive touchscreen interface of

Apple's IOS mobile operating system. By

late 2009, the iPad's release had been

rumored for several years. Such specula-

tion mostly talked about "Apple's tablet";

specific names included iTablet and iS-late. The eventual name is reportedly a

homage to the Star Trek PADD, a fic-

tional device very similar in appearance to

the iPad. The iPad was announced on

January 27, 2010, by Steve Jobs at an

Apple press conference at the Yerba

Buena Center for the Arts in San Fran-

cisco.

The iPad runs a version of the iPhone op-

erating system and, as a result, can run

programs from the App Store. It allows

existing apps to upscale their size to fill

its entire screen (newer apps can be writ-

ten to fit its larger dimensions).

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT

EDITION

23

S/N DATE PARTICULAR ACTION

1 26

JULY,

2011

Ops, PRS, MVA,SMP,CTSO,CPEO and PIO

should harminize within one month all ongo-

ing efforts and projects aimed at stream-

lining and improving the safety records of

tanker/trailer operators in the country

Ops,

MVA,SMP,

CTSO,CPEO,

PIO

2 26

JULY,

2011

Ops should liaise with ACM (F&A) to fashion

out an orientation and training programme

for Commanding Officers

Ops, F&A

3 26

JULY,

2011

All Administrative vehicles in the Corps

fleet should be installed with tracking de-

vice

SACOMACE,

Clog

4 26

JULY,

2011

Soft copy of the Competency Checklist ad-

ministered on management staff should be

subsequently administered on their subordi-

nate Officers

PIO

5 26

JULY,

2011

Four (4) new Unit Commands are estab-

lished forthwith in Gwantu, Garaku, Nkalagu

and Kaza

Ops, AHR,

F&A,CS

6 26

JULY,

2011

CTSO should liaise with ACM (SD) and PIO

for the production of clean copy of the

Road Transport Safety Policy Manual

CTSO

7 26

JULY,

2011

To ensure fairness, one unit of house in Ma-

saka should be allocated to at least one ARC

in each Department and Corps Office whose

application would have been submitted

through his/her HOD or Corps Officer

Clog

Insight newsletter- July Edition

EXCERPT FROM DECISIONS TAKEN AT THE MANAGEMENT MEETING

24

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FROM MY MAIL BOX

A police officer wrote this! Please read because it may save your life!

Sometimes the little things we do can make the biggest difference!

Because of recent abductions

In daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do

in an emergency situation...

This is for you & for you to share with your family & everyone you know.

It never hurts to be careful

in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do:

The elbow is the strongest point

on your body.

If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide.

If a robber asks for your wallet or purse,

DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.

Toss it away from you....

Chances are that he is more interested

in your wallet or purse than you & he will go for the wallet/purse.

RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car,

kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out

the hole & start waving like crazy.

The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.

This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars

after shopping, eating, working, etc., & just sit

(doing their cheque book, or making a list, etc.

(DON'T DO THIS!)

SECURITY ALERT!

25

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FROM MY MAIL BOX

The predator may be watching you,

& this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in

on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,

and tell you where to go.

AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR,

LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE....

If someone is in the car with a gun to your head

DO NOT DRIVE OFF,

Repeat:

DO NOT DRIVE OFF!

Instead run the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car.

Your Air Bag will save you.

If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it.

As soon as the car crashes bail out and run.

It is better than having your body found in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting

into your car in a parking lot or parking garage:

A.) Be Aware:

look around you, look into your car,

at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat

B.) If you are parked next to a big van,

enter your car from the passenger door.

Most serial killers attack their female victims

by pulling them into their vans while the women

are attempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle,

& on the passenger side.... if a male is sitting alone

in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back

into the mall, or work & get a

guard/policeman to walk you back out.

IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.

(And better paranoid than dead.)

26

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FROM MY MAIL BOX

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs.

Stairwells are horrible places to be alone,

& the perfect crime spot.

This is especially true at NIGHT!

7. If the predator has a gun & you are not under his control,

ALWAYS RUN!

The predator will only hit you (a running target)

4 in 100 times, & even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.

RUN, preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying

to be sympathetic:

STOP!!

It may get you raped, or killed.

Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,

well educated man,

who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.

He walked with a cane, or a limp,

& often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle,

which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point:

Someone just told me that her friend heard

a crying baby on her porch the night before last

& she called the police because it was late

& she thought it was weird... The police told her

'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door..'

The lady then said that it sounded like the baby

had crawled near a window & she was worried

that it would crawl to the street & get run over.

The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way,

whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'

He told her that they think a serial killer

has a baby's cry recorded & uses it to coax

27

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FROM MY MAIL BOX

women out of their homes, thinking that someone

dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it,

but have had several calls by women saying that

they hear baby's cries outside their doors

when they're home alone at night.

10. Water Scam!

If you wake up in the middle

of the night to hear all your taps outside running,

or what you think is a burst pipe,

DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE!

These people turn on all your outside taps

full bore so that you will go out to investigate

& then they attack.

If your generating set suddenly stops functioning, DO NOT GO OUT IMMEDIATELY

TO INVESTIGATE, an assailant may be waiting outside to gain entrance into your

home as soon as you open the house door

Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbours!

CARTOON

Culled from www.alertpc.net/qrm-

road-safety-tips-cartoons

28

We created a new vision and mission in 2009

VISION

To eradicate road

traffic crashes and

create safe motoring

environment

in Nigeria

9

Sustained Public Enlightenment

Promotion of Stake holder Cooperation

Robust Data Management

Improved Vehicle Administration

Prompt Rescue Service

Effective Patrol

Operation

MISSIONRegulate, Enforce & Coordinate all Road Traffic & Safety Management through

activities through

Reversing the rising rate of death and injury

10

Decreasing trend of Road Traffic Crash fatalities

2007 2008 2009 2010

4,673 6,661 5,690 4,066

• Expansion in command administration with establishment of new unit commands bringing the total to 166 Unit Commands nationwide

• Injection of additional patrol vehicles and patrol ancillaries into operation

• 341 new patrol vehicles,• 19 new heavy duty tow trucks• Establishment of ZEBRAs 1 -6• 38 new ambulances and• 252 new patrol motor bikes

Source: FRSC Planning Advisory Unit Analysis, 2011

Insight newsletter- July Edition

COMACE POWER POINT PRESENTATION AT THE NATIONAL ELECTRICITY

COMMISSION ON 14 APRIL, 2011 CONT FROM MAY EDITION

29

A S T O R Y : L I S T E N A N D L I V E

Reversing the rising rate of death and injury (II)

11

• Implementation of new patrol strategies:

• Operation eagle eye

• Operation rainstorm

• Operation velvet

• Operation zero

• Operation TOWOL

• Operation compulsory use of safety helmet

• Introduction of a novel ‗‘free safety

vehicle checks‘‘

- This involves identifying faults with motorist

vehicles and advising them to put the faults in

order without booking them

Building an IT capability to support operations

12

• Establishment of a modern communication

• 345 VSATs connecting commands• All FRSC Commands connected via

LAN/WAN• Establishment of an ultramodern ICT

centre for prompt road safety management

• Creation of Call centre that operates 24/7

• Call centre has received a total of 9,053 calls to date

• Over 2050 Closed User Group (CUG) phone lines distributed for easier communication

• Electronic capturing of offenders records

• Creation of online offenders register

• Introduction of E-payment

• E-procurement platform implemented• E-payment of salaries• E-payment of new National Uniform

Licensing Scheme (NULS)

• Tracking of over 500 vehicles online real-time

Insight newsletter- July Edition

COMACE POWER POINT PRESENTATION AT THE NATIONAL ELECTRICITY

COMMISSION ON 14 APRIL, 2011 CONT FROM MAY EDITION

30

-

Converting data into intelligence for making evidence

based decision

-Conducting global monitoring and benchmarking

-Conducting surveys and internal consulting for depart-

ments and Corps offices

-Offering technical assistance and coaching to depart-

ments and Corps offices

P L A N N I N G A D V I S O R Y U N I T

Federal Road Safety Corps

RSHQ,

Wuse Zone 7, Abuja, Nigeria

Abuja

Phone:

+234 8077201236,

+234 7036136152

E-mail: insight@frsc.gov.ng

pau@frsc.gov.ng

For Advert Placement,

Please Contact The Editor

Insight newsletter- July Edition