DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS,

INTERPRETATION AND UTILITY IN FRSC

INTRODUCTION

  
 The acquisition of knowledge on its own

starts with the acquisition of data. All

important decisions in life are based on the
information collected on a subject matter.
The quality of decisions taken is a function of
the adequacy and relevance of the
information at our disposal.
AIM

 The aim of this lecture is to acquaint

participants with the importance of data-
gathering and its utilization in the Federal
Road Safety Corps.
OBJECTIVES

 At the end of this lecture, participants should

be able to:
 State the classification of data
 Mention methods of data collection
 List the factors influencing data collection
 Itemize the sources and utilization of data in

FRSC
DEFINITION OF DATA
 Data is a collection of facts, such as numbers
or measurements and the word data means
information. Strictly speaking, the word “data”
is in the plural (the singular form is “datum”).
However, the word is often used as if it is a
singular noun.
 So we commonly say "the data is available"

rather than the more correct way "the data

are available".
CLASSIFICATION OF DATA

 Data classification is the categorization of

data for its most effective and efficient use. It
can be classified as follows:
According to Nature

 Quantitative data: This is information obtained

from numeral variables e.g. number of officers
and marshals in a command, age, bills, etc.
 Qualitative data: This is a categorical

measurement expressed not in terms of

numbers, but rather by means of a natural
language description such as names,
characteristics and alpha-numeric ( e.g. vehicle
plate number), gender (male or female), religion
(Christian, Muslim, etc), casualty details (injured
or killed) etc.
According to Source

 Primary data: This is information collected on

first hand.
 Secondary data: This is a second-hand

information e.g. published data

According to Measurement

 Discrete data: These are numerical

observations obtained as whole numbers e.g.
traffic count data, age, etc.
 Continuous data: These are data that can take

any value and they are measured e.g. height,

length etc.
According to Arrangement

 Ungrouped data: This is a raw data with no

specific arrangement e.g. the final grades of
12 officers in FRSC Academy at the last
officers’ refresher training course. 83, 80, 78,
86, 76,82,78,83,84,90,96,90.
 Grouped data: This is an organized set of

data that is arranged which involves two or

more group.
Example

 GRADES
 FREQUENCY( NUMBER OF OFFICERS)
 75-79 3
 80-84 5
 85-89 1
 90-94 2
 95-99 1
 TOTAL 12
 
DATA COLLECTION
 Data collection is any process of preparing
and collecting data. Inaccurate data collection
can impact the results of a study and
ultimately lead to invalid results.
The purpose of data collection is:

 To obtain information to keep as records.

 To make decisions about important issues, or
 To pass information on to others.
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

 Direct observation: Data is collected by

observing and it is the simplest way of
collecting data. Example: We want to know
how many cars pass by a certain point on a
road in a 10-minute interval. Simply stand on
the road and count the cars that pass by in
that interval.
 Questionnaire: This is an instrument
consisting of a series of questions for the
purpose of gathering information from
respondents.
 Interview: face-2-face, telephone, and

internet
 Registration
 Published data: Federal Office of Statistics

(FOS), Research Institutes, Federal Road

Safety Corps, etc.
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE COLLECTION OF DATA

The choice of method of data collection is

influenced by the following:
 Data collection strategy
 Type of variable (discrete/continuous)
 Accuracy required
 Collection point
 Skill of the enumerator
 Source of data ( primary/secondary)
DATA ANALYSIS

Analysis of data is made up of the following

elements:
 Data Preparation
 Data Tabulation
 Data Presentation
 Data Analysis
DATA PREPARATION:
 Data gathered from respondents or other
sources of data collection are further
processed as a means of preparing them for
other stages of analysis. Data preparation
includes:
 Editing
 Coding
A. Editing

  
This involves the examination of data in order to
detect errors that may cause inconsistency if
they are used for analysis in their original form.
There are two types of editing:
 Field editing: This is a procedure whereby, the

field researcher tries to make his records

complete and correct them. During the process
of data gathering, the researcher may have
written some information in a form intelligible
to him alone or make some
 mistakes and omissions in the recording of
the information. Therefore, before he submits
the records or response to the office, he has
to do some field editing.
 Central editing: The objective of central
editing is to ensure maximum consistency in
the information which might create problems
in the analysis and interpretation of the
results. There are four possible errors one
should look out for; arithmetic/numeric
errors, error of transposition, error of
inappropriate response, error of omission.
B. Coding

 Most responses in questionnaires are

qualitative and analyzing them quantitatively
requires their being assigned numerals or
some appropriate symbols. Coding enables
the researcher group responses into limited
number of classes or categories.
Example:

How would you rate the attitude of FRSC staff

to work?
 Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor
 1 2 3 4 5
This is a Quantitative Type Question (or
Closed Ended Question) called the Rating
Scale. It is one of the most commonly used
methods in management research, and is
particularly useful for measuring affective
issues such as attitude.
DATA TABULATION

Tabulation is the process of treating data for

further analysis by the use of tables. It can be
done by computer or manually.
The software commonly used in computer
analysis of data are SPSS (Statistical Package
for Social Sciences), Microsoft Excel, etc.
DATA PRESENTATION


Data can be presented using Graphs (Bar, Pie,

Pareto charts, etc), Ratios, Word description
etc.
DATA ANALYSIS

 . In order to use data for the objective of

research, the data has to be reduced to
manageable dimension. There are two types
of data analysis:
 Descriptive analysis
 Causal analysis
 Descriptive Analysis: This deal with the study
of the distribution of the variables such as;
the profiles of respondents, staff,
organizations etc. Descriptive analysis may
either be Quantitative or Qualitative
 Quantitative Descriptive Analysis is used to

summarize a mass of information or data

which includes frequency distribution,
measures of central
tendency (mean, median and mode) and measures
of dispersion.
Qualitative Descriptive Analysis is used to

verbally summarize the data or information

generated in the research.
For example, O/C drill may choose to summarize
the data on the participation of officers during
the last Officers Refresher Course organized by
school Of
 tendency (mean, median and mode) and
measures of dispersion.
 Qualitative Descriptive Analysis is used to

verbally summarize the data or information

generated in the research.
 For example, O/C drill may choose to

summarize the data on the participation of

officers during the last Officers Refresher
Course organized by school Of
 Physical And Regimental Studies FRSC
Academy Jos by simply stating without any
tables, that out of all the two ranks (ARC and
DRC) that participated in the training, 99%
were ARCs.
 This is a descriptive verbal analysis using

some quantitative information and can also

be done using qualitative information by
merely stating that
 majority of the participants were ARCs. This
certainly, is not a very neat way of analyzing
data.
 Causal Analysis: This deals with the study of

factors that are responsible for producing most

of the problems.
 Pareto Analysis: The principle states that only a

“vital few” factors are responsible for producing

most of the problem. It is useful in quality
control (i.e.The use of Pareto charts helps to
identify areas
 that need to be corrected and efforts will be
made to correct those defects that account
for the largest percentage).
INTERPRETATION OF DATA

 19. Data interpretation is the explanation of

the associations and relationships found in the
data. Having gathered the data through the
different means of data collection, analyzed
them manually or through the use of
computer, the researcher has the
responsibility at this point to use the results of
the analysis to answer research questions or
hypothesis formulated.Conclusion will be
deduced from the findings which must be
relevant to the findings.
SOURCE AND UTILIZATION OF DATA
IN FRSC

 ROAD CRASH DATA: data from road crash is

collected through the following ways:
 i. Scene of the crash
 ii. Hospital information
 iii. Police information 
 iv. Eye witness account
Details of crash such as the route, vehicle
type, vehicle registration number, number of
passengers, cause of crash, casualty details
(no of persons killed and no of persons
injured), and gender of accident victims are
recorded inside the accident report book
found in various commands. With these data,
crashes can be analyzed and proper decisions
will be taken to forestall further occurrence.
TRAFFIC COUNT DATA:
 Data of different categories of vehicle are
collected and analyzed which helps to
effectively plan and monitor vehicular density
along a particular road.
ROAD TRAFFIC OFFENCES DATA:
 These data are collected during patrol and
are recorded daily in the offenders’ registers
which are found in the duty offices of all
commands.
FORMAT OF NOTICE OF OFFENCE SHEET

OFFENCE
FORMAT OF NOTICE OF OFFENCE SHEET

 OFFENCES CODE POINTS PENALTY

 Assaulting a Marshal on duty AMD 3 10,000

 Attempting to corrupt a Marshal on duty ACS 3 10,000

 Road signs violation RSV 2 3,000

 Construction area speed limit violation CASV 2 3,000

 21. Traffic offences carry penalty points
against offenders’ license in addition to the
prescribed fines. These points are cumulative
and 21 cumulative point leads to an
endorsement of the offenders’ license (this
means that the details of the offences is
written on the offenders drivers’ license).
After 5 of such endorsement, a drivers license
stands suspended.
This is a way of effectively utilizing data
collected from Road traffic offence as that
would go a long way in curbing Road Traffic
crash on our road.
BIOMETRIC DATA:
 This is the technology of using unique human
features such as finger prints, eyes, the face,
DNAs, signatures etc for the purpose of
recognizing and verifying peoples identity.
 In 2008, FRSC commissioned a review of the
driver’s license scheme and the findings from
these review showed that:
I. Significant number of licenses were forged
Ii. There were possibilities of obtaining license
under different identities.
iii. Inability to track drivers’ license from
training to license issuance.
iv. Inability to effectively monitor drivers’
performance after license issuance.
 24. To this effect, data collected through
biometrics is effectively used to combat
crimes.
 
The New Drivers License
The ongoing new drivers’ license and vehicle
identification scheme was introduced to
create a reliable database and also ensure
national security. The new robust and
comprehensive database will ensure that
crimes committed with vehicles can be
tracked, insiders abuses are curbed, revenue
losses are eliminated and, the integrity of the
scheme will be enhanced.
 Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) is saddled
with the responsibility of data collection on
motor vehicles nationwide.
 The Central Data Bank (CDB) now Information
Technology Centre (ITC) collates, stores and
analyzes all information on Motor Vehicle
Administration. Information collected on motor
vehicles is sent to ITC on monthly basis. If
information is needed about a particular
vehicle or a driver, it can be collected from ITC.
  
 There is also data utilization in the various
departments of the corps e.g. It is the work of
AHR in FRSC Head Quarters to know when we are
short of staff. The work of the corps secretary is
to recruit officers and fill up vacancies due to
retirement, resignation or death.
 The FRSC also gather data through the Policy
Research and statistics (PRS) for statistical
purposes and this is done on monthly and
quarterly basis.
CONCLUSION

 30. The operation of the Federal Road Safety

Corps is hinged on relevant data which is
used for planning all aspects of road safety
activities. It is worthy of note that no
meaningful decision can be taken without
adequate and reliable data.
 Thank you.
References

 1. Hornby AS. Oxford Advanced Learners

Dictionary. 8th ed. Oxford University press, 2010.
 2. Osita Chidoka OFR Corps Marshal and Chief

Executive, FRSC lecture on Maintaining Efficient

Biometric Data as a tool for fighting Crimes
2012. www.frsc.gov.ng
 3. Nnamdi Asika. Research methodology in the

Behavioural Sciences longman, 2008.

 4. Anthony Daudu. Unpublished lecture note.

School of Research, Statistics and Strategic

Studies FRSC Academy, Jos 2011