4 Wheel Drive Program

The majority of damage incurred to 4 Wheel Drive vehicles comes from inexperience, over confidence or just plain negligence.

The aim of this specialized program is to make participants familiar with the characteristics, capabilities and limitations of their 4 Wheel Drive vehicle.

The program consists of the following:-

Basic Vehicle Familiarization & Maintenance
This segment covers the drivers responsibility to maintain the vehicle in a safe operating condition to save costs and inconvenience. It will also familiarize participants with the features unique to their own 4 Wheel Drive vehicle. Workplace Health & Safety issues will also be covered.

Stall Start Recovery Procedure
This segment concentrates on how to safely recover a vehicle from a slope in a controlled manner having consideration for vehicle sympathy.

Ascents & Descents
This segment covers how to read terrain and safely negotiate steep inclines and declines. It also covers approach and departure angles, ramp angles and side slopes.

Wading & Fording
This segment covers obstacle appreciation, vehicle preparation and safety issues concerned with water crossings.

Obstacle Negotiation
This segment covers various driving techniques required to negotiate a range of man-made and natural obstacles with safety and regard to vehicle sympathy.

Sand Driving Techniques
This segment covers the driving techniques required to negotiate soft sand crossings and beach driving.

Basic Vehicle Recovery
This segment covers the safety precautions in the use of a snatch-um strap. It also involves a practical recovery of a bogged vehicle using a snatch-um strap. If participants vehicles are fitted with a vehicle mounted winch, the use of the winch and ancillary equipment and safety precautions will be shown and explained. The use of hand winches can also be covered.

It is beneficial that the 4 Wheel Drive Program be completed after the completion of a defensive driving program, as most 4-Wheel driving is done after reaching a destination by sealed roads.