There is a lot of confusion out there about the EDT. The belief that 12 lessons is a sufficient amount of driver training to turn someone into a competent and safe driver is more than often simply not the case. The Road Safety Authority advise that 2 - 3 hours of support or filler lessons are completed between EDT lessons with the sponsor or parent which totals to 36+ hours practice.
The Sponsor/Parent Role
Simply put the sponsor/parent is to supervise practice between EDT lessons. Why? Research shows that the longer a learner is supervised while driving the less likely they are to be involved in a crash and to that end it is recommended that the learner complete 2-3 hours of practice after each EDT lesson.
In the EDT logbook there is a separate SPONSOR section which has to be used to record the dates and times of when such supervised practice has been completed and which topics were practiced.
This sponsor/parent role can cause problems for some and here are just a few questions and comments that we often encounter.
Q. I don't have dual control pedals in my car so how will I stop the car in an emergency if they lose control while I'm supervising?
Q. We have a jeep and it's too big for him/her to practice in. How do we get around that?
Q. We don't have a car so how can he/she get the practice done?
Q. I'm too nervous myself to take him/her out.
These are all true concerns and we ourselves find it unreasonable to expect parents and sponsors to take on such an important role having not had the training or vehicles with dual controls to conduct support lessons. But fear not...in cases where the support and filler lessons can't be completed for whatever reason, we ourselves can take on the role of the sponsor and provide the support/filler lessons between the student EDT lessons if needed.
The Role of the Student
Statistics show that 17-24 year old learners are the highest risk on today's roads of being in an accident.
Are you in this category?
You have a responsibility to yourself and your family to make sure these statistics drop.
How can you help?
You and your sponsor need to approach this 12 lesson EDT course very seriously and with maturity. There is no point in throwing the EDT logbook in the press after each lesson and only taking it out on the next lesson. If that's the way then there is no position for you here at our driving school. Your lessons are going to set you up for the rest of your life so we take it very seriously and see the delivery of your EDT lessons as a 3 way partnership between us you and your sponsor all working towards making our roads a safer place by making you a safer and better driver.
Students between to age of 17-24
RSA Driving School believes that road safety education is paramount. We are committed to working with organizations and students, in particular between the ages of 17 and 24, who are more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident than any other age group in Ireland.
This is one statistic that we’re all trying to eradicate. Road safety awareness is a subject that can’t be taken for granted or discussed without conviction. That’s why RSA Driving School is actively getting involved in educating our future drivers to help them fully understand the road and its potential dangers before even sitting in the driving seat.
The introduction of the new compulsory essential driver training that the Road Safety Authority has implemented from the 4th April 2011 is a step in the right direction in improving driving standards in our younger drivers.
Passing your driving test can only be the result of excellent planning and driver training
Driver training will give you the skills however it is planning for the test that will be most important. The RSA Driving School has spearheaded the development of pre test training packages. Some of our instructors are ex-testers themselves and together have developed the most comprehensive pre test driving packages available in Ireland making the RSA Driving School the only realistic choice for your driver training.
