Off Road Driver Training

We provide off road driving courses to suit people of all abilities and experience, and for all purposes. All Road Training is an accredited Lantra Awards Training Provider, delivering off road driver training to nationally recognised standards.

We can also help if you need training in extreme off road driving. Our instructors trained Charlie Boorman and the production crew of The Long Way Down, the televised off-road adventure with Ewan MacGregor in 2007.

Who benefits from off road training?

Anyone who uses a vehicle off-road as part of their work duties, and must therefore comply with Health & Safety legislation.
Recreational 4x4 drivers who want to increase their understanding, skill, safety and enjoyment of using their vehicle off-road.

How current legislation affects your business

In addition to the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (concise details of which can be found on the Road Risk Management page), the PUWER legislation (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) stipulates that equipment provided for use at work must only be used by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training on that equipment.
Motor vehicles are specifically included in PUWER.
PUWER legislation applies to employers and the self-employed.
If you are an employer or self-employed person, and you provide equipment for use at work, or if you have control of the use of equipment, then the Regulations will apply to you.
Failure to comply with PUWER is likely to result in action being taken by the Health & Safety Executive (often together with the police) in the event of a serious accident.

Off road driving courses

Recreational 4x4 Driver

This one-day course is for a maximum of three people (per vehicle & instructor).
Each course is tailored to reflect the previous experience and learning objectives of you, the driver.
For drivers with limited off road experience, the course covers:

Fundamental 4x4 technology, focusing on your own vehicle
Principles of safety when driving off road
Correct use of transfer box, gears, difflock, ESP and air suspension (as appropriate)
Assessment of off-road hazards
Driving techniques to help you maximise your safety and enjoyment off road
Care of the environment, to facilitate the ongoing availability of off road driving opportunities

We can train you to any level you would like to reach, including extreme off road driving.

4x4 Professional Competence

A one-day off road driver training course for a maximum of three people (per vehicle and instructor).
Designed as a cost-effective option to the Lantra Awards 4x4 Professional Driver course below, it is suitable for company drivers and contractors who use 4x4 vehicles on modest to moderate terrain.
The driving principles are the same as for our Lantra Awards courses, to equip participants with the skills to remain safe whilst also avoiding damage to vehicles or the ground driven on.
Emphasis is on practical driving skills, covering:
- Vehicle safety checks
- Correct use and application of the vehicle’s 4x4 controls when leaving and re-joining the highway
- Reading the terrain and understanding the limitations of the vehicle and its tyres
- Avoiding damage to the vehicle
- Maintaining traction and optimising grip
- Maintaining ground clearance and selecting a route
- Correct use of the vehicle’s gears, clutch, throttle, brakes and steering when off-road
- Selection and correct use of the transfer box, diff locks and locking hubs (dependant on vehicle specification)
- Understanding the vehicle’s limitations due to front and rear overhangs (affecting approach and departure angles) plus wheelbase affecting the ramp breakover angle.
- Climbing and descending gradients
- Failed hill recovery
- Traversing side slopes
- Negotiating deep ruts
- Crossing ruts and shallow ditches
- Negotiating mud
- Theory of negotiating snow and ice
The off road training culminates in a practical assessment of each driver, supported by a written appraisal. Successful participants receive a certificate of competence, valid for 3 years, plus detailed Course Notes.

Lantra Awards 4x4 Professional Off Road Driver

This two-day off road driving course is for a maximum of three people (per vehicle & instructor).
It is suitable for everyone who has cause to drive off road as part of his or her work duties.
The course provides delegates with the necessary skills to drive off road in a way that looks after the people in the vehicle, the vehicle itself and the ground driven on.
A combination of theory and practical sessions cover many aspects of driving off road, including:

Recognising and understanding the various types of 4x4 drive train
How, when and why to use transfer gearboxes and differential locks
How, when and why to use other features if fitted to candidates’ vehicles, i.e. locking hubs, air suspension, ESP or detachable anti-roll bars
Weight transfer & weight distribution
Transmission wind-up
Preparation of vehicle for driving off road
Assessing the ground about to be driven on
Climbing and descending hills
Failed hill climbs
Negotiating ruts, ridges, ditches and V-shaped gullies
Traversing side slopes
Negotiating water, sand, mud, ice and snow
Rejoining the highway

The course concludes with an assessment of each candidate’s ability to safely judge off road terrain and maintain full control of the vehicle in a variety of situations.
For experienced off road drivers, there exists the option to attend the Lantra 4x4 Professional Off Road Driving course for one day only. This takes the form of an assessment and corrective training as required.
Following successful completion of the course, candidates will receive a Lantra Awards skills card and certificate, proving that they are qualified to a nationally recognised professional standard.

Training locations

We run 4x4 Professional Competence courses throughout the country, and can use your own off road location if you have one. Lantra Awards off road driving courses are run from our home sites in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, plus at other Lantra approved sites around the UK.

To discuss your requirements and discover how best we can help you, please

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"A thoroughly enjoyable day, which comfortably exceeded our expectations. Instruction given was comprehensive with every effort made to ensure we got exactly what we wanted from the day. We can honestly say that we now feel far more trusting of the Land Rover and more in control. I have recommended the course wholeheartedly on our company training log and to my line manager who is looking to send more people your way."

M. Robson (Jacobs)

"Despite being given only vague guidance that we wanted training to satisfy PUWER regulations, All Road Training provided comprehensive theoretical and practical instruction to all our candidate drivers. All who attended came away feeling that they better understood the capabilities of their vehicles and their own capacities and limitations as drivers. All Road Training exceeded the mandate of satisfying the regulations and made the training fun, bespoke to each driver and above all a contributory factor to the project safety record."

Southern Gas Networks

"I found the whole course gave me confidence and will allow me to undertake my duties in a safer manner in the future. I learned more about off road driving and its limitation in one day than I had in 5 years driving Land Rovers off road in the army."

S. Summers (CEH)

"The course was perfect for our needs and we now feel confident and prepared for our safari drive in Namibia."

Mr & Mrs M. Perkins

Off Road Driving Courses