HOW TO AVOID TRAFFIC GRIDLOCKS

What is it about Traffic jams and gridlocks that drive shivers down our spine?

What we find more terrifying is that according to some psychology studies, traffic jams, and especially sudden gridlocks are indirectly or partly responsible for a number of sanity-related problems in drivers who are frequently finding themselves in this dreadful situation.

Firstly, we should probably summarize what we know so far about traffic jams and it effects.

- It is one of the main reasons for city pollution in most large cities.

- It is a top reason for psychological problems when they are dealt with on regular basis.

- According to studies, travel delays due to traffic congestion caused drivers to waste billion litres of fuel and keep travellers stuck in their cars for nearly billion extra hours in a year. Should we talk about the cost for this horrifyingly high number of traffic jams? Surely around a million naira per each commuter in a year.

- Emergency vehicles are unable to reach their destinations as urgently as they could without being stuck in gridlock. 

Let’s think less about how bad traffic is in most cities in Nigeria and more about ways to improve our lives behind the wheel, starting of course with tips to avoid traffic jams.

The list is exhaustive but a short list of "dos" and "don'ts" on this subject, if read and put in action, will help.

1. Leave your car parked 

If you can use more efficient alternative modes of travel, like public transportation, leave your pride at home and do it. There's no shame in using the subway, the bus or the tram, despite being the proud owner of a luxurious sedan, SUV or a flashy sports car. 

2. Study the route and leave early. If you lose an hour, you can also win an hour

If you slightly change the schedule of your departure to and from work, you might circumvent the biggest traffic jams of the day.

3. Upgrade your knowledge of inner routes

The shortest distance between two points isn't always a straight line. So, instead of taking the most obvious route, which everyone else is already using, go against the flow by using smaller side streets to reach your destination inside the city. 

4. Get better informed even before jumping in your car

You should never rely just on your better judgement since you can't predict the future when leaving home. Always listen to the radio for any gridlock announcements so you can plan your route ahead, before actually arriving right in the middle of a traffic jam. 

5. Use Social Media

Technology has become a vital aspect of our lives. It has impacted our lives in various ways. Social media apps like twitter and facebook help with traffic updates. If you are on twitter, kindly follow @Gidi_traffic for current traffic updates. Confirming traffic updates before leaving for another location can help save time & unnecessary waste of fuel.

6. Avoid road where construction is ongoing Road Construction impacts free flow of traffic in no small way. With the right information, avoid roads undergoing repair or construction, especially at peak moments.

7. Make a mental note of weekly or monthly events in certain areas.

Certain areas are beset with heavy traffic because of social and religious events on weekly and bi-monthly basis. Note these events and seek alternatives.

Note these tips and do have a traffic-free ride always.

For necessary protection on your vehicle, contact us for great car insurance discounts.

Follow us on our twitter handle - @con_hallmark 

& facebook page - conhallmark

Visit our website for more tailor-made insurance covers at www.consolidatedhallmark.com

HAZARDS OF HAVING FAKE INSURANCE

There is always a feeling of joy when a product is bought. A product bought for the comfort it gives or the solutions it provides. More importantly, when this is done with hard-earned money. This feeling of joy escalates to a whole new level when this product fulfils the purpose for being bought. It is always beyond words. Can you imagine what happens when the product fails just because it is fake. A deep-seated rage engulfs the buyer. The rage at the thought of money wasted and service not received.

The internet is awash with news of car accidents, third property damage by motorist and hit & run drivers. These stuffs happen when it is least expected. Recently, the National Assembly posited that there are about 12million fake motor insurance policies in Nigeria. Are you part of the 12 million? This number seems scary. Do you know that it is a crime by law to drive a vehicle without insurance? Do you know that it is compulsory for all vehicles on Nigerian roads to be insured? Permit me to highlight what this means.

With 12 million fake motor insurance policies in Nigeria, it means there are 12 million criminals driving on our roads. According to law, ignorance is not an excuse. That you are not aware your insurance is fake is no excuse. It also means there are 12 million prospective hazards on our road. If one of these is involved in an accident, resulting in death or damage to other people’s assets, nothing can be recovered from this fake insurance. He would have succeeded in killing an innocent pedestrian with no insurance to pay for the death. The ‘reckless’ driver would have been arrested and prosecuted. However, this could have been different, if he had genuine insurance.

Anyone who drives with a fake insurance, risks being jailed and prosecuted. He risks paying for damages cause to other people’s car, assets & properties. And when he cannot pay, he risks having his vehicle impounded or charge to court. Third party insurance is designed specifically to cater for third party liabilities due to the use of the vehicle. Therefore, when a vehicle is not insured, it is a criminal offence and it also exposes pedestrians to vary degrees of risk. These are few of the consequences.

However, you can confirm if your insurance is genuine by clicking www.askniid.org or send *Policy Number*Reg. No. to 33125. Instantly the status of your car insurance is revealed. Don’t put yourself in an awkward situation. Protect yourself and other pedestrians. Be Smart, don’t allow road officials harass you. You can buy your third party insurance in 5mins here www.motorthirdpartyonline.com

Click http://ow.ly/4nrZiT to see the benefits of third party motor insurance.

Follow us on our twitter handle - @con_hallmark              
                      & facebook page - conhallmark

Visit our website for more tailor-made insurance covers at www.consolidatedhallmark.com

SAVE PETROL CONSUMPTION – GET A LOWER BILL

Petrol is an essential commodity which is for the most part used to run our vehicles and generators daily. However, with the recent return of the persistent petrol scarcity, the cost of purchasing petrol increases which makes it pertinent that we find ways of conserving this essential commodity so as to save cost

. Additionally with the financial hardship that is as of now being experienced across the country, it would be efficient if these tips can be practiced as they would definitely reduce our overall spending on the purchase of petrol.

The following are ways we can save petrol while using our vehicles:

Make fewer trips

Did you know that when you drive a car that has been parked for a few hours, the engine is cold and it uses much more fuel for the first five miles or so? Ideally you’d combine all your daily errands into one big trip. Often that’s not possible if you have to pop out during the day to drop off and collect the family, but try not to go out separately to the supermarket shop or buy a newspaper or to attend a meeting.

Accelerate smoothly (Be a patient driver)

The perfect way to travel is at a constant speed (ideally around 80Kmph), and in the highest gear (five or six). So if you’re a patient driver, you’ll have lower fuel bills – it’s as simple as that. It’s unrealistic to avoid overtaking, but there’s little point accelerating past a car to simply be in front of it at the next set of lights – any instant gratification will appear on your fuel bill the next time you fill up.

Don’t drive in the rush hour

There are few worse places to spend your time than stuck in traffic jam, but it’s also a very expensive way of travelling. Every time that you stop and start in traffic, your car needs first gear and a huge amount of fuel to get moving again. Second gear is not much better. The best solution is to not travel during the rush hour. You can also save some fuel by trying to understand what the traffic is doing in front of you, and travelling steadily at a slow speed, rather than accelerating and braking.

Turn the air-conditioning off

It’s tempting to leave the air-conditioner on the while driving, but it uses quite a bit of fuel, so we’d advise you turn it off when it’s not hot.

Check your tyre pressures regularly

The lower the tyre pressure, the more fuel the car needs to move it down the road. We recommend that you take five minutes every fortnight to check the tyres. If you’re not sure what the pressure should be, you can normally find the figures near the lock inside the driver’s door.

Don’t push the accelerator down too far

This one always surprises people. It’s not just to do with what gear you’re in. You may be in a high gear and travelling at a sensible speed, but if you’re pushing the accelerator down a long way to avoid changing into a lower gear (into third from fourth, for example), then you’re actually using more fuel not less. Obviously, if your car has an automatic gearbox (you’ll know if it does), then it will probably do a better job than you of choosing which gear to be in, so it’s not a problem.

Stick to the speed limit

Driving at a higher speed can actually get to your destination in record time but it uses much more fuel than driving at a constant speed. If for example, you could shave a bit of time off your journey through Lagos Ibadan Expressway by travelling above the speed limit at an increased speed above 140kmph on a 114-kilometers trip. Although you might arrive about 20 minutes early but it’s false economy. While the car is running for 20 minutes less, it uses much more fuel when it is travelling. That 20 minutes could cost you up to N1,600.00 extra on fuel.

The few tips noted above can be help reduce our daily consumption of petrol and ultimately our overall spending on petrol. Practice them today and you will be glad you did especially during this scarcity period. 

Drop a line and let us know ways you have employed to conserve fuel apart from the above. We would love to hear from you.

Follow us on out twitter handle - @con_hallmark 

& facebook page - conhallmark

Visit our website for our tailor-made insurance covers at www.consolidatedhallmark.com