What is the EDT?
EDT stands for Essential Driver Training. It is a mandatory training course that teaches fundamental driving skills to learner car drivers. It is part of the RSA’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) scheme and is intended to improve road safety. EDT is not required if your first learner permit was issued before 4 April 2011. All other learner drivers must complete EDT before taking their driving test. EDT courses Ireland provided by A New Driver are designed to assist you in meeting this requirement.
Should I choose EDT Courses?
Studies show that young drivers and inexperienced drivers are more likely to die or be seriously injured in collisions, and EDT is one of several measures introduced by the RSA to help improve critical driving knowledge, skills and behaviours of new drivers.
EDT is a course of 12 one-hour lessons. These lessons are designed to cover certain critical driving skills and improve your practical driving skills.
As you complete each lesson, your Approved Driving Instructor, James, will record your progress in a specially issued logbook. After you finish your EDT course, you may still need additional lessons with an ADI to improve your driving skills.
Benefits of EDT Courses Ireland
Completing your essential driver training course will help you to:
- understand what it means to be a better safer driver.
- practice your driving skills in a structured way that is focussed on your own learning needs.
- develop lifelong skills that will make you a better safer driver.
Preparation for your first lesson
When you book your lessons with A New Driver, we will let you know what lessons, practice and background reading you should do before starting the course. We will check your learner permit, and if you are using your own car, will check to make sure your insurance, motor tax, NCT and the roadworthiness of the vehicle are all in order. We will give you a logbook with your name, address, date of birth and learner permit driver number. You should bring this logbook to each lesson and make sure all the appropriate sections are filled out after each lesson.
EDT lessons timeline
- Lessons 1-8 must be taken in sequence, but lessons 9-12 may be taken in any order.
- Each of the 12 lessons in EDT lasts about one hour.
- We recommend that you leave at least two weeks between each EDT lesson to allow for further instruction, practice and learning.
- The EDT course is best spread out over six months.
Each of the EDT lessons has particular objectives
The 12 lessons are titled:
- LESSON 1: CAR CONTROLS AND SAFETY CHECKS
- LESSON 2: CORRECT POSITIONING
- LESSON 3: CHANGING DIRECTION
- LESSON 4: PROGRESSION MANAGEMENT
- LESSON 5: CORRECT POSITIONING
- LESSON 6: ANTICIPATION AND REACTION
- LESSON 7: SHARING THE ROAD
- LESSON 8: DRIVING SAFELY THROUGH TRAFFIC
- LESSON 9: CHANGING DIRECTION (MORE COMPLEX SITUATIONS)
- LESSON 10: SPEED MANAGEMENT
- LESSON 11: DRIVING CALMLY
- LESSON 12: NIGHT DRIVING
You should prepare for each lesson using the RSA EDT Syllabus PDF Booklet
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