07 insight july 11

Insight newsletter- July 2011 Edition

Insight

UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC)

KNOWING A LITTLE ABOUT EVERYTHING

Volume 1, Issue 7

Inside this issue: Major Events in 2011

3

Interview with Blessing

4

Fuel Efficiency

8

Seatbelt Myth

10

The Chinese 3D Bus

12

Many More

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH EDITORIAL BOARD

BLESSING UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC)

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)

THE CHINESE 3D BUS FACT

The Chinese 3D bus can save up to 860 tons of fuel per year, thereby reducing 2,640 tons of carbon

FRSC Nigeria: strongly committed to the UN Decade of Action

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

tion.

Our

cover

this

month

projects the multi – functionability in Blessing, a young

Assistant

Commander and

in

Accounts

RSHQ.

Route Finance

dept

Blessing,

on

in a

first contact, portrays a false look of an ordinary

Have you ever wondered girl next street. As young why a man may live his life as she is, Blessing is alsuccessfully and not fart, ready a chartered ac-

or even when he farts, it countant and represents would not smell? Physi- Nigeria as an internacians believe that if a man tional tennis player. She routinely

uses

the

loo is also a professional every morning, he will not dancer. How she combines fart. I think this is also these activities reflects

true of automobiles that discipline and hard work. are regularly maintained. The FRSC of the future Automobile manufactur- requires men and women ers boast that, vehicles that are multi – funcwhen regularly main- tional in delivering road tained, driven by a quali- safety to Nigerians.

fied person and in confor- The story of the 3 – D mity with traffic regula- coaches in China is inspitions would never break rational in solving traffic down or be involved in a gridlocks on Nigerian incrash. The same principle tra city highways. can be extended to an organisation or country that The regular stories are desires progress. Pro- can also be read in this gress requires dexterity edition. and agility to multi – func2

Some facts about the African elephant -Like human beings, elephants 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 respect.

-They have very good memory. 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 animals, living in prides consisting of up to three males, several more females and their cubs.

-Though they are the reputed ―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

Insight newsletter- July Edition

SOME MAJOR EVENTS IN 2011

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 bombing 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 windpipe coated with stem cells.

-July 9 – South Sudan secedes from Sudan, per the result of the independence referendum 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 completing STS-135, concluding NASA's space shuttle program Culled from Wikipedia Encyclopedia 3

Insight newsletter- July Edition

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BLESSING UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC)

Who does not like success, whether it comes in the form of passing a promotion examination, making a sudden breakthrough in a research or winning a competition? Every sane man should.

reflect on your own dreams. Get into the

Like most good things in life, enduring

Anuna from Akabo village, Ikealuru local

success do not come cheaply, there is always a price tag attached to it This can be in form of your time, persistence, 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 devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy 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 defeat.‖ 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 4

arena and fill your life with meaning and enduring goals.

INS: May we meet you Blessing: My name is Blessing Ugboaku government area of Imo State.

INS: Tell us about your educational background Blessing: I started my primary school at the Akabo primary school where I finished in 1992. Between 1993 and 1995, I attended

the

Surulere

Girls

Secondary

School where I first met with Oluchi Onweagba, 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 certificate in 1999. I obtained my Bsc in Accounting from Enugu State University of Science and technology in 2005 and I finished 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)

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 conI joined the Corps in August 2008 where I was posted to the Training Department. Presently I am in the Account and Finance Department, RSHQ, Abuja.

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

INS: We understand that you are into sports which of the games do you

public accounting.

INS: How do you strike a balance between

play?

your academics and sports?

Blessing: Tennis

I have never been a professional tennis

INS: Tells us about some of the com-

player in my life. My couch said that if I

petitions you have attended?

Blessing: I played my first competition in

1999

during

the

All

Schools

had ever been a full time tennis player, Nigeria would have produced another Serena Williams. I make it a point of duty

UniPetrol Competition. In 2002 I at-

to put extra effort in my academics when-

tended the National Sports Festival in

ever I go for training. Between 1999 to

Benin, where I won 2 bronze medals

2006 I was already in top 16 while still

(singles and double). I won a bronze

doing very well in my academics.

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

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

Governor‘s Cup and in 2010 I played

family. In the Corps, Commander Oyeyemi,

the Port Harcourt Opens. That Same

MFR

is my role model. In sports, Serena

year I reached the semi final at the

Williams is my role model. She is every-

Dala Hand Court in Kano in both the

thing I want to be in the world of sports.

singles and double. This is my 2 5

centration ability hence improving your

nd

All

Insight newsletter- July Edition

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BLESSING UGBOAKU ANUNA (ARC)

BE INPIRED!

INS: How will you want to see the A leader, once convinced that a Corps in the next 100 years from particular course of action is the right one, must....be undaunted when the going now? gets tough.

Blessing: Flawless. Perfect. With the Ronald Reagan 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 dancing INS: Are you married?

Blessing: No, I am single INS: Wishing you success in the forth coming All African Games

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

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

BLESSING‗S PIX DURING ONE OF HER TRAINING SESSIONS

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

FUEL EFFICIENCY

0I Ikoku (ARC)

Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the efficiency of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier fuel into kinetic energy or work.

Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, which in turn may vary per application, and this spectrum of variance is often illustrated as a continuous energy profile. Nontransportation applications, such as industry, benefit from increased fuel efficiency, especially fossil fuel power plants or industries dealing with combustion, such as ammonia production during the Haber process.

In the context of transport, fuel efficiency or fuel economy, is the energy 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 definitions of a gallon) or kilometres per litre (km/L) (prevalent in several Latin America and Asian countries such as

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Brazil, India and Japan). The reciprocal ratio, "fuel consumption", is usually expressed 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 efficiency include weight-specific efficiency for freight, and passengerspecific 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 vehicle design in recent decades.

Hybrid vehicles use two or more power sources for propulsion. In many designs, a small combustion engine is combined with electric motors. Kinetic energy which would otherwise be lost to heat during braking is recaptured as electrical power to improve fuel efficiency.

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 vehicles, 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)

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 combustion. 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 vapor 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 water. The difference between the high and low values is significant, about 8 or 9%. This accounts for most of the apparent 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 values 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 obtained from fuel (the inverse of the

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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 distance); 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 postSoviet space.

Fuel economy is the distance travelled per unit volume of fuel used; for example, 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 distance it can travel with a certain volume 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

SEAT BELT MYTHS AND OTHER EXCUSES THAT PEOPLE GIVE JM Dajangla (SRC) CPEO/RSHQ

A seatbelt sometimes called safety belt is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from collision 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 vehicle or other passengers. It also prevents passengers from being thrown from the vehicle.

2. Seatbelt also absorbs energy by being designed to stretch during 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 belief 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 prevents occupants from being knocked unconsciously

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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 severely 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 properly belted, the airbag could kill you. Airbags provide supplementary protection in front crashes and not rear impact or rollover crash.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

OPINION

SEAT BELT MYTHS AND OTHER EXCUSES THAT PEOPLE GIVE

MEN VS. WOMEN: WHO CAUSES MORE CAR CRASH? .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 striking the ground after falling from a third floor window. Even a crash at only 12 miles per hour can be fatal.

AE Umana (ARC), CPL, RSHQ

Unfocused, distracted and often over tired individuals 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 concentration coupled with a complete disregard for other road users. Such motorists tend to be thinking only of their own problems while being

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”.

oblivious of their immediate environment.

At other times it is due to stress. Being a sensible 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 excessive 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 accidents would probably be unfair to such well behaved drivers who are labeled just because of their gender.

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

THE CHINESE 3D BUS FOR TACKLING TRAFFIC CONGESSION

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 overpasses.

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 gridNecessity they say is the mother of invention. 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 Equipment Co. has developed a prototype of an environmental friendly public transport 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.

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lock but first we must have a paradigm shift.

We must develop a good road culture by obeying 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

FITNESS TO DRIVE – ALCOHOL

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.

With increasing amounts of alcohol, you are likely to: Take LONGER to react Take MORE risks LOSE control LOSE your memory Die

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)

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD DIE IN MOTORCYCLE COLLISIONS....WHY ARE HELMETS NEEDED? BY CB NWOKOLO ARC

Cont from last month ...or a combination of them. Helmets create an additional layer for the head and

These three functions are achieved by combining the properties of four basic components of the helmet that are described below;

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 serious 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 movement, by managing the impact. The soft material incorporated in the helmet absorbs some of the impact

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.

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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 anything

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 exterior finish.

The impact-absorbing liner This is made of a soft, crushable padded material – usually expanded polystyrene, commonly called ―styrofoam‖. This dense layer cushions and absorbs the shock as the helmet stops and the

Insight newsletter- July Edition

MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD DIE IN MOTORCYCLE COLLISIONS....WHY ARE HELMETS NEEDED?

head tries to continue moving.

there is a vision port that allows the

The comfort padding

wearer maximum range of sight, in line

This is the soft foam-and-cloth layer that

with the requirements for peripheral

sits next to the head. It helps keep the head comfortable and the helmet fitting

and vertical vision.

Open-face helmets

snugly. The retention system, or chin strap This is the mechanism that keeps the helmet on the head in a crash. A strap is connected to each side of the shell. Chin and neck straps, which are specifically designed to keep the helmet on during an impact, must be correctly used for the helmet 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 provide protection by means of a hard outer shell and a crushable inner liner. They do not offer protection for the chin or jaw area and are rarely equipped with visors. The halfhead helmet may or may not have ear flaps attached to the retention system.

Helmets for tropical use

These helmets offer facial protection in addition to impact protection. Their principal feature is a chin bar that extends outwards, wrapping around the chin and jaw area. Extending above the jaw,

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TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT EDITION

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

Scooters and segway human transporters

Complete

Streets

Reduce

effectiveness of a wide variety of

Crashes; A recent study comparing

measures to improve pedestrian safety

the United States with Germany and

found that simply painting crosswalks on

the

wide high-speed roads does not reduce

Netherlands,

Help

where

complete

streets are common, found that when compared per kilometer traveled, bicyclist and pedestrian death rates are two to six times higher in the United States.

Complete streets therefore improve safety indirectly, by encouraging nonmotorized travel and increasing the number of people bicycling and walking.

According to an international study, as

design the street with pedestrians in mind – sidewalks, raised medians, better bus

stop

placement,

traffic-calming

measures, and treatments for disabled travelers safety

–

all

and

improve thereby

pedestrian encourage

―transport diversification‖-to bicycling and walking.

the number and portion of people bicy-

Mauritius, one of the smallest African

cling and walking increases, deaths and

countries, with an estimated annual

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 Administration. US 2009)

A US report by the Federal Highway Administration review of the 16

pedestrian crashes. But measures that

budget

of

equivalent

N330

billion,

2,066km road network and an economy driven by sugar, tourism and textile is providing free & comfortable transportation for its entire young people within school age, the disabled and the aged.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

ALL INCLUSSIVE MOBILITY: THE PLIGHT OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED, AGED, CHILDREN AND OTHER PEDESTRIANS IN NIGERIAN CITIES (4)

This can be an alternative in Nigeria.

global practices for a supposed mega

The Abuja Master Plan

city like Abuja.

By the master plan, the capital city

Pedestrian walk ways, flyovers, cy-

was designed to be self contained,

cling tracks

with each district having all the fa-

It has been noticed over time that,

cilities that will not require one walk-

while we are calling on the authorities

ing or cycling out for the same. As a

to build road infrastructures with pe-

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, reduces environmental pollution and low-cost for families and therefore, an alternative to motorized transportation 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 interactive section with the press on 14 July 2010 called on the authorities to review the master plan in line with present realities and best

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 measures 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 frontage to the other side on their way home after school at Oshogbo. Furthermore, a national daily which had the same concern 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.

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

ALL INCLUSSIVE MOBILITY: THE PLIGHT OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED, AGED, CHILDREN AND OTHER PEDESTRIANS IN NIGERIAN CITIES (4)

.The school headmaster had also issued

Recommendation

a stem warning that makes it mandatory

In addition to the recommendations

for all pupils crossing the road to use

mentioned so far, the following are

the bridge. The issue is, shall we wait

much desired.

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.

Budget; A substantial amount of up to 15% of the National budget for road construction, maintenance, transportation and allocation to FERMA should be specifically set aside for improving pedestrian and mobility impaired road users (sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic calming, speed humps, bus stops, multi-use paths, safety programs for pedestrians and cyclists, vehicles that can accommodate wheel chairs etc). This should be applicable to all states of the federation and FCT through legislation.

Complete streets. Where traffic calming seeks to improve safety by reducing

This is no Olympic race but Pedestrians scooping helplessly through fast moving traffic at the finance junction along the area 1- Berger expressway

While the authorities have the responsibility of building roads designed with pedestrians and mobility impaired persons in mind, it is the duty of citizens to follow lay down rules to ensure that the roads does not become death traps.

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traffic speeds, Complete Streets policies ensure that future road projects consistently take into account the needs of all users, of all ages and abilities, particularly pedestrians

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.

Insight newsletter- July Edition

ALL INCLUSSIVE MOBILITY: THE PLIGHT OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED, AGED, CHILDREN AND OTHER PEDESTRIANS IN NIGERIAN CITIES (4)

Traffic calming and street design; Traffic calming includes a host of engineering techniques used to physically alter existing road design for the purpose of slowing traffic and improving safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. Beyond simply installing

Sweden has 39% walking, 10% cycling and rates as having the safest roads in the word with 1 fatality per 10,000 vehicles, Nigeria rates 91st with 161 fatalities per 10,000 vehicles (US Depart-

ment of Transportation). It is common sense to promote same.

sidewalks, these improvements enhance safety through a focus on intersections with features such as pedestrian refuge medians, better road geometry, and signals that give pedestrians a ―head start‖ when crossing roads. Depending on the type of measure implemented and speed reductions achieved, traffic calming has reduced collisions by 20 to 70 percent.

Non-motorized transportation; developed nations of the world today are encouraging non motorized transportation in urban centers. It is a reliable alternative since it will enhance physical health, reduce daily expenditure 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 comprehensive approach to improving safety around schools for children walking and bicycling. The US funds this kind of program with over 600 million dollars in about five years. For instance

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Complete street program in the US

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

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

ZEBRA CROSSING

“What

ROAD SAFETY CLUB

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 Zebra crossing is a safe way to cross the road. Drivers are expected to stop to allow pedestrians 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 children cross safely.

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

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IPAD AND ANDROID BRIEF HISTORY

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 models - 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, with or without 3G connectivity. All models offer Wi-Fi. iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. Its size and weight falls between those of contemporary smartphones 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 applications. Without modification, the iPad will only run programs approved by Apple 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, surpassing Exxon Mobil as at 09 August, 2011.

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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 Computers. 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 discontinued 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 speculation mostly talked about "Apple's tablet"; specific names included iTablet and iSlate. The eventual name is reportedly a homage to the Star Trek PADD, a fictional 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 Francisco.

The iPad runs a version of the iPhone operating 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 written to fit its larger dimensions).

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT EDITION

Insight newsletter- July Edition

EXCERPT FROM DECISIONS TAKEN AT THE MANAGEMENT MEETING

S/N

DATE

PARTICULAR

ACTION

1

26

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

Ops,

JULY,

should harminize within one month all ongo-

MVA,SMP,

2011

ing efforts and projects aimed at stream-

CTSO,CPEO,

lining and improving the safety records of PIO tanker/trailer operators in the country 2

3

4

26

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

Ops, F&A

JULY,

out an orientation and training programme

2011

for Commanding Officers

26

All Administrative vehicles in the Corps

SACOMACE,

JULY,

fleet should be installed with tracking de-

Clog

2011

vice

26

Soft copy of the Competency Checklist ad-

JULY,

ministered on management staff should be

2011

subsequently administered on their subordi-

PIO

nate Officers 5

6

7

26

Four (4) new Unit Commands are estab-

Ops,

JULY,

lished forthwith in Gwantu, Garaku, Nkalagu

F&A,CS

2011

and Kaza

26

CTSO should liaise with ACM (SD) and PIO

JULY,

for the production of clean copy of the

2011

Road Transport Safety Policy Manual

26

To ensure fairness, one unit of house in Ma-

JULY,

saka should be allocated to at least one ARC

2011

in each Department and Corps Office whose application

would

have

been

submitted

through his/her HOD or Corps Officer

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CTSO

Clog

AHR,

Insight newsletter- July Edition

FROM MY MAIL BOX

SECURITY ALERT!

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!) 24

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.)

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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

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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/qrmroad-safety-tips-cartoons

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

COMACE POWER POINT PRESENTATION AT THE NATIONAL ELECTRICITY COMMISSION ON 14 APRIL, 2011 CONT FROM MAY EDITION

We created a new vision and mission in 2009

VISION

MISSION

Regulate, Enforce & Coordinate all Road Traffic & Safety Management through activities through

To eradicate road Sustained Public Enlightenment

traffic crashes and create safe motoring environment in Nigeria

Effective Patrol Operation

Promotion of Stake holder Cooperation

Prompt Rescue Service

Robust Data Management

Improved Vehicle Administration 9

Reversing the rising rate of death and injury 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

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

COMACE POWER POINT PRESENTATION AT THE NATIONAL ELECTRICITY COMMISSION ON 14 APRIL, 2011 CONT FROM MAY EDITION

Reversing the rising rate of death and injury (II) • 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

A

S T O R Y : L I S T E N

A N D

L I V E

vehicle checks‘‘ This involves identifying faults with motorist

-

vehicles and advising them to put the faults in order without booking them 11

Building an IT capability to support operations • 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 12

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Insight newsletter- July Edition

PLANNING ADVISORY UNIT Federal Road Safety Corps RSHQ, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja, Nigeria Abuja

-

Converting data into intelligence for making evidence based decision -Conducting global monitoring and benchmarking -Conducting surveys and internal consulting for depart-

Phone: +234 8077201236, +234 7036136152 E-mail: insight@frsc.gov.ng pau@frsc.gov.ng

ments and Corps offices -Offering technical assistance and coaching to departments and Corps offices

For Advert Placement, Please Contact The Editor

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