EDT
Essential Driver Training
If the issue date of your first B category (Car) learner permit is on or after 4 April 2011, in order to be able to sit your full driving test, you must first complete all 12 EDT lessons.
To start your EDT lessons you must first have obtained your learner permit from the NDLS – .
If you are a driver with a full valid licence from a country who does not have a licence exchange agreement with Ireland you can complete the reduced EDT programme.
Essential Driver Training (EDT) 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.
What does EDT involve?
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 (ADI) will record your progress in a specially issued logbook.
You should also have a Sponsor, an experienced driver (many learner drivers choose a family member) who will supervise your driving practice outside of lessons, and will also track your progress in your logbook.
We understand that practicing with a sponsor is not always possible, students may not have a car to practice in as insurance costs can be very high.
We at Naas Driving Academy are now offering booster lessons to our EDT pupils, these are the lowest cost lessons we offer and are available only to our EDT pupils that require further training between their EDT lessons.
After you finish your EDT course, you may still need additional lessons with an ADI to improve your driving skills. Additionally, you should practice with your Sponsor as much as possible to get comfortable behind the wheel
Benefits of EDT
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 focused on your own learning needs.
- Develop lifelong skills that will make you a better safer driver.
What do the lessons cover?
EDT lessons are 12 mandatory driving lessons to help new drivers gain critical skills used when driving.
This lesson covers Basic use of your cars engine and gearbox. How to use the pedals. Secondary controls are also covered.
This covers the basics of positioning a car while turning left and right.
This covers roundabouts and how to do slightly more complex manoeuvres
This lesson covers how to control your speed and read distance.
A more advanced lesson than lesson 2. Covers more in town/traffic driving.
This lesson covers hazard perception and how to read the road. How to react if something should happen
This lesson deals with Right of Way and how to interact with parked cars, pedestrians and cyclist
This lesson deals with how to drive in traffic. Traffic lights and in town driving.
This lesson covers dual carriageway driving and yellow boxes.
This lesson covers how you deal with driving. How to relax if you feel under pressure.
This lesson covers how to drive in the dark. Switching between headlights etc.
Your Logbook
When you start your first EDT lesson, you will be given an official logbook by your ADI to record the details of your training and progress, as well as necessary preparation for your next lessons.
When you complete an EDT lesson, your ADI will stamp the relevant section of your logbook and record some feedback on how well or whether you met the lesson objectives. To meet the lesson objectives you must prepare properly, practice with a Sponsor and you may need to take additional instruction.
An ADI can only sign the lessons they have given, so be sure to get your logbook updated by your ADI after each lesson.
The logbook also provides space for both you and your Sponsor to assess your performance in your EDT lessons. This evaluation will help you understand what you need to practice to become a safer driver and how best to prepare for your next lesson
Reduced EDT
The reduced EDT program is for drivers from outside Ireland who hold a valid full car license from a country without a license exchange agreement with Ireland.
These drivers can also skip the six-month learner permit holding period before taking the driving test.
Hybrid Electric & Automatic
Manual gearbox driving would be the standard style of driving in Ireland. Until recently the majority of cars in Ireland would have been Manual with a clutch pedal.
With the introduction of the Hybrid and Electric cars, which are automatic, more and more people are making the switch.
Ready to embark on your driving journey with our EDT Programme?
Naas Driving Academy today to book your first lesson. Our team is excited to help you achieve your driving goals!
