EDT (Essential Driver Training)
If the issue date of your first B category (a Car) learner permit is on 4 April 2011, in order to be able to sit your full driving test, you must first complete all EDT lessons.
What is the EDT?
The 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.
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.
On the day of your driving test, you should bring your completed logbook on the appointed test date, as you may be required to show it to the examiner.
At your first EDT lesson, and each lesson thereafter, your ADI 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.
Your ADI 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.
What do the lessons cover?
The EDT lessons has particular objectives. You should prepare for each lesson using the EDT Course Syllabus.
The 12 lessons are titled below:
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
How the logbook works
When you start your first Essential Driver Training lesson, you will be given an official log book by your ADI to record the details of your training and progress, as well as necessary preparation for your next lessons. You can familiarize yourself with the format by viewing a sample leaners logbook.
When you complete an EDT series of 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. If you change ADIs, your new ADI will not be able to fill out your logbook for lessons you have already taken.
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.
If your logbook gets lost or damaged, you should make a report with the Gardaí and you will then need to obtain a duplicate logbook from your ADI. This may involve a waiting period, so it is important that you keep your logbook secure at all times.