Driver Skills Australia - Mine-Site Defensive and Four-Wheel Drive Training Courses

Driver Skills Australia (DSA) provides advanced, defensive and four-wheel drive (4WD) training for individuals, corporate fleet drivers and the mining industry in Australia and overseas. The DSA team are friendly, professional and passionate about driving and road safety.

DSA is a registered training organisation (RTO), which allows certain course participants to receive nationally recognised qualifications, adding further value and credibility to the training provided.

Mine-site driving training courses

DSA is a specialist in delivering 4WD and mine-site training anywhere in Australia. DSA trainers are available to come to your site for a day or more to deliver training. The most common courses delivered on-site are:

• DSA one-day defensive 4WD course – defensive driving (gravel driving) and a basic introduction to 4WD operation; ideal for all mine employees as the training is a great introduction to defensive driving
• DSA two-day defensive 4WD course - as above but with more time to allow more practical training; includes a variety of recovery situations and is suited to drivers who leave formed tracks or drive on soft road surfaces
• Trailer towing - training on trailer towing as required by some mine sites

Mine-site 4WD training courses

DSA also offers mine-site specific 4WD training courses for gravel / surface operations, underground operations, off-site (advanced 4WD operations), and recovery, mechanical and survival training. DSA is authorised to deliver 2* and 3* training for BHP Billiton drivers (exploration).

Defensive and 4WD training courses for the mining industry

DSA’s one-day defensive and 4WD training course is ideal for drivers operating 4WDs for work or pleasure. It includes defensive driving, basic 4WD operation and recovery equipment.

Students will cover the following topics: concentration and attitude, risk taking behaviour, fatigue awareness and time management, effects of speed, vehicle loading, and many more. Skills learnt from the course include:

• Emergency stops on hard road surfaces at various speeds
• Emergency stops on gravel road surfaces at various speeds
• Operation on soft sand / mud
• Operation on off-road tracks
• Safely climbing and descending
• Using recovery equipment
• Optional - river / water crossing

After the course, drivers will be able to demonstrate the ability to identify and avoid hazards on the road; apply emergency braking techniques on and off-road; apply defensive driving techniques; understand the effects of alcohol / drugs / fatigue; understand correct tyre pressures and when to alter them; apply correct 4WD techniques off-road; and safely operate recovery equipment.

Off-road defensive and 4WD training courses

DSA’s two-day defensive and 4WD course is suited to drivers that are new to 4WD operation or want to gain confidence in a variety of off-road operating conditions and recovery equipment. The course can include practical driving experience in:

• Gravel roads (smooth) and / or sealed roads (wet)
• Sandy / desert roads / river crossings (where possible)
• Off-road operation (hi-low range operation over a variety of terrain)
• Vehicle recovery

The course can include practical experience with vehicle pre-start checks, basic maintenance, roadside repairs (including tyre changing) and battery jump-start. The main difference between this course and the one-day course is the available time to cover items in detail – in particular off-road operation and recovery.

Mine-site defensive driver training courses

The DSA defensive driver training course has been developed to provide drivers with an increased understanding of the risks associated with operating vehicles in a variety of environments.

The course takes into consideration the requirements for employers and employees under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (1984) and has been designed to closely follow guidelines set by the Office of Road Safety, ATSB, WorkSafe and the RTA.

Defensive driver courses for safe mine-site driving

DSA has identified that most car crashes are associated with disregard to road conditions, speeding, driving when tired, trip and time management, not wearing seat belts and vehicle loads. This course includes theory and practical sessions to develop safe driving behaviour.

Students will learn how to achieve a safe emergency stop on a wet road, apply hazard-avoidance techniques, experience the effect of speed on stopping distance, apply vision skills, and apply correct car-control techniques.

Following completion of the course, it is expected that all drivers will be able to demonstrate a range of skills, including how to apply defensive driving techniques, an awareness of how risk taking and motivation can affect your safety on the road, how to identify potential hazards and avoid them, and many more.