There is a huge variance between driving skills and four-wheel driving skills and the latter is something that needs to be practiced in-depth and understood in a different way to just driving on the roads and following all of the road rules. In the outback, rocky terrain, muddy or loose gravel roads create a plethora of obstacles and can create a higher margin for error resulting in nasty accidents if the drivers are inexperienced in those areas and don’t fully understand how wrong things can go quickly. The open road obviously has many obstacles and a high margin for error but both on and off-road driving can easily result in accidents and life-threatening injuries if extra care is not taken. Off-road driving has a whole different set of obstacles and a different way in which things can go wrong, and thus more training and understanding should be sought before people venture off road in any format.

The hard part of all driving is that sometimes you’re in remote areas and if you are to have an accident then it may take longer for emergency services to find you or for any sort of help that you required to make their way to you and be able to access it correctly and safely. This of course shouldn’t put you off from four-wheel driving because it can be a great recreational activity and something that people enjoy in adulthood but all the way up from childhood as well.

Young people often go with family and adventure in the outback for camping, four-wheel driving or generally just exploring and depending on the vehicle they can access different areas to others and take in the sights from a completely different angle. Now growing up in a family that takes adventures to the next level in the outback including 4WDing, is definitely going to give you a leg up with a lot of the skills that are required within the sport, as you’re constantly around it, and potentially trying out or helping with it from a young age, handing you valuable life experience along the way. Seeing first hand just how easily things can go wrong, or how breath taking some close call moments can be, will be sure to help you hone your abilities as you grow up into it.

Aside from growing up in the sport, there are other avenues you can follow which will allow you to pick up the valuable skills required to safely undertake all facets of 4WD adventuring including training courses provided in different areas around Australia or jump on the 4WD Supacentre Youtube Channel and check our helpful various tips and trick videos. Taking part in a course or watching our helpful videos will allow you to take on the knowledge and experience directly from industry experts and you may find that you are aware of some things but learn new and safer ways to do them. Course can include life skills, off-roading skills and even rally driving to help you gain real life experience and take on high pressure situations where you can react accordingly in a lifelike manner. All of the skills picked up across these specific areas can and will help you in the future when you decide to head off road and will ensure you understand just how to handle your vehicle, camper trailer, off-road gear and recovery gear in a multitude of different situations.

Four-wheel driving is definitely a sport that can be for leisure of for adventure, it really just depends on how you decide to tackle it, and how well equipped you are, which will help you decide just how far and extreme you can take it. Definitely still not for the faint hearted, 4WDing should be undertaken in small groups of with others in case of accident or injury, especially due to the remote nature of a lot of the 4X4 areas around the country. Even becoming stuck and needing a tow or a quick snatch could leave you in a mess if you’re venturing out on your own. Along with the basic skills required which we have mentioned already, you should also ensure your vehicle is well equipped with the correct mechanical and recovery gear to keep you moving no matter what you encounter. Some basics for recovery should always include shovels, tyre repair kits, high lift jacks and especially some all-terrain or mud tyres to ensure that extra footprint while taking a mud bath in the bush. Having a couple of mates on board, or following along in another vehicle, will definitely help you to get out of trouble along the adventure.

Something to consider is ensuring you have the correct medical gear on board in case of an emergency, or in the rare case where you may become stuck where you are for a long period of time without being able to get out or be reached by help. Making sure your first aid kit is packed with the basics will help to keep you safe throughout minor incidents, and a space blanket and possible food portions should also be considered for those stays that end up being longer than expected. At least that way you will have some warmth and something to keep your appetite at bay as you wait for assistance. A large amount of water is also a good idea especially if traveling into the outback during the warmer conditions.

If you take a look around, you’ll see a huge variance in the different four-wheel-drives that make their way around Australia, some are basic and can go out and enjoy recreational rock climbing and some are expensive and have all the bells and whistles to encounter absolutely any adventure or driving style that it comes across. It all comes down to how much you wish to spend on the hobby and how much time you want to invest in it and really where exactly you want to go, at the end of the day if you just want to go out to the back roads and find a little bit of mud on the weekends just to get the tyres and the guards dirty then going all out and putting everything possible onto your rig is probably not the way to go. However, if you wish to go touring off-road and climbing extensive rock faces and whatnot then you’re definitely going to need a few extras on board to keep you and your convoy safe and secure across all types of terrain. So be sure to head into to your local 4WD Supacentre store or jump online to rig your vehicle so it’s ready for your off-road adventure.