DAP Driver Awareness Program
The Caloundra City 4wd Club runs a driver awareness program (DAP) Free for financial club members. Proudly Sponsored by ARB Caloundra
DAP's are normally run on a Saturday.
The Club has a policy of educating four wheel drivers both in the safe responsible use of their vehicles and the responsible use of the environment. The Club's DRIVER AWARENESS PROGRAM (DAP) is offered to all financial members of the club and is a requirement for all drivers.
All members need to be aware that in order to take part in the more challenging organised club trips (that is other than medium (Blue) easy scenic or social (Green), they must have completed the clubs Driver Awareness Program (DAP). This depends on difficulty of the tracks that are part of the trip.
Membership of the club is not dependent upon the completion of the DAP. Members may choose not to do the DAP. In this case members should be satisfied that they are restricted from driving on most of the trips organised by the club. They may however accompany an accredited driver as a passenger.
A trip sheet is produced for each club trip. The grading of the trip is marked on the Trip sheet and is also publicised in the Club Calendar in website events in advance. Nominated Drivers must record their DAP status on each trip sheet and all participants must sign the trip sheet prior to setting out.
The DAP system consists of two sessions, a Theory Session and a Practical Session.
The Theory Session covers all the aspects of four wheel drive vehicles, handling, maintaining and preparing them; the four wheel driver, attitude, preparation and responsibilities; and the impact of four wheel drives on the environment, driving responsibilities, caring for the tracks, impact minimization and access requirements.
The Practical Session covers demonstrations of the basic activities that are likely to be encountered during a four wheel drive outing, key-start recovery, use of recovery equipment, handling of obstacles, vehicle guidance etc.
The DAP system is intended to provide drivers with the basic advice necessary for enjoying four wheel driving. Nothing can replace experience, but the DAP system aims to provide a good stepping stone towards gaining that experience with a safer, more responsible understanding of, and attitude towards, four wheel driving.
DAPs are run on a Saturday, in February, May, August and November on a private property.
Dates of DAP days are listed in the club Events
Financial members can open the full PDF version of the DAP Training Here
The program will consist of the following minimum components:
- How 4wd works
- Traction principles
- High centre of gravity & weight transfer risks, esp. side slope
- Tyre pressures – advantages, risks
- Mud & sand driving
- Stall start recovery
- Single snatch strap recovery, incl. recovery points
- Other recovery methods: Shovels, Jacks, MAXTRAX, TREDs
- Wheel placement exercise(practical only – explain increased parallax error due to varying spring compression when driving uphill or downhill)
- Track assessment
- Drive moderate ascents/descents, with varying degrees of articulation (practical only)
- Convoy procedure
- Environment / code of ethics
- Vehicle inspection
- Tyre change
