It’s not often that you’ll get the opportunity to take driving tips from a double World Rally Champion. So when you do, we’d suggest that you take advantage of it.
Wet driving conditions contributed to 41,000 road traffic accidents in the latest 12- recorded months, so with April showers looming Sebastien Loeb, Citroen’s double World Rally champion has produced a list of tips on how to drive safely in bad weather conditions, which will undoubtedly be invaluable if we have a typical British Summertime!
PUMP IT UP
Tyres help me accelerate, stop and steer my Citroën Xsara WRC to victory. They are crucial to my success and also my safety. Each day I compete the team checks the tyre pressure on my car up to seven times. Check your tyres for correct pressure and wear at regular intervals.
WET’N’WILD
Water hazards on events make great photos; however speeding through puddles increases the risk of your car swerving or aquaplaning, even if you have plenty of tyre tread depth, and reduces the effectiveness of your brakes. On exiting deep water, dry your brakes by dabbing the brake pedal.
BACK OFF
It doesn’t matter if you’re a World Rally Champion driver or not, in the wet conditions you are going
to need anywhere between two and 10 times more distance to stop.
Think ahead and try to keep at least four seconds behind the car in front.
SLIP SLIDING
Driving sideways can carve important seconds off stage times, but if a skid catches you unawares on public roads it could be fatal. The fact is you’re four times more likely to experience a skid in wet conditions than dry. Skids can be caused by over harsh braking, acceleration or steering, so you need to ease off whatever has caused it, steer and look in the direction that you want to go.
BE SEEN
Don’t be the last to turn on your headlamps in low light conditions. Dawn and dusk are longer in these months and storm clouds can turn the sky black in moments. The headlamps on my car give me extra vital seconds warning of up- and-coming hazards. Keep them clean and turn them on.
SLOW DOWN
Not the kind of advice you’d expect from me, but the roads are most treacherous as the first drops of rain dilute road surface oil and grease. Ease off the accelerator. Everything is easier to cope with if you just slow down a little.
GLASS ACT
To win the World Rally Championship I have to pilot my Citroën through dust, snow, fog, ice and gravel at speeds of up to 120mph. I would be useless if I couldn’t see ahead. A smear-free clean windscreen and wipers that work properly crucial to safe and confident driving in all conditions. Get a proper screenwash and replace worn wipers.
BLINDING LIGHT
Sun glare off wet roads is distracting and dangerous. The windscreen of my WRC car is tinted according to the conditions of the rally, but when I am not competing I keep a pair of everyday sunglasses to hand in the car. If you can’t see, don’t be embarrassed to slow down and stop until conditions improve.