Larger vehicles, vans and minibuses

In Australia, drivers with a C (Car) licence can drive a huge range of vehicles including utes, vans, some light trucks up to 4.5 tonnes, and even vehicles that seat up to 12 adults.

This means drivers can legally be handed the keys without adequate additional training. As a result, many of these vehicles become damaged due to a driver's lack of confidence or knowledge.

This program familiarises these drivers with the vehicles they drive as part of their job and helps build their confidence along the way.

Topics include:

• Height awareness
• Braking factors
  • Weight variations and effects on displacement
  • Centre of gravity
• Off-tracking as effected by length of vehicle
• Manoeuvring and pre-steering
• Blind spots
• Complacency

At the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Understand vision limitations and how to reverse and manoeuvre safely
• Recognise and apply low risk driving strategies
• Understand weight variations and effects on displacement
• Establish safe acceleration and braking distances
• Apply hazard perception and risk awareness techniques
• Understand occupant safety

The NRMA can also provide specialised training for:

• Car park environments and valet parking
• Coaching and/or assessments for drivers new to Australian roads
• Corporate safety days and conferences as a guest speaker