NEW 12 EDT LESSONS: commences April 4th. Explained ;)

So many people have asked me about the new "12 Lessons" that everyone has to take. Well its not as simple as just 12 lessons, but ive explained it very simply for everyone.


I Attended a meeting on Thursday Regarding the new driving regulation held by the "Road Safety Authority RSA" (EDT= Essential Driver training) been brought in 1st week of April.

Anyone with a stamped Learner permit (Provisional license) on or after 4/4/11 will be effected, so if you ever think you will ever drive in your life, register now before its too late.

The EDT basically is 12 steps to driving safely. Its a minimum of 12 lessons that will cover 12 steps to learning to drive with your ADI Approved Driving Instructor, There's a lot of detail in the 12 lessons so ADI's will be pushed to even get the objectives covered on each hour lesson. The idea behind is that you will be learning for longer, like in UK and Europe.

The ADI now has all the control of who goes for their test now, so that when drivers now go for their test having passed their 12 key EDT lessons, the candidate has already being tested thus the pass rates at test centers will increase dramatically because the standard of driving will be greater, thus bringing down the wait lists for testing. ( I heard on the QT that the RSA might be bringing in an increased test amount if you don't pass first time. 20euro more and so on, every time you fail your test so the incentive is their to get the right training to begin with and not to block the system as is currently the case with students just re-applying for their tests and not enough lessons. But its just Here-say at the moment!! Not official.


The ADI must sign a Declaration (Learner Driver Log Book ) by law that states that the Learner has passed the 12 stages. The steps have more in the content of learning to drive than before and learners will be learning for longer, so it wont be a case of get your provisional license and go straight out on the road like before and sit your test with minimal or no ADI lessons.


Also, when you get to step 12, If I as your instructor don't feel you are ready for your test, I don't sign your "Learner Logbook".
The book is like a license and will be stamped, signed, dated and notes made according to each 12 mandatory key lesson's.
It will be very official and this book is the only piece of proof you will have to participating in the EDT so maybe let your instructor keep your book as if you loose it, its complicated to apply for another one. Just like a passport. (The ADI will need to keep separate records of every EDT lessons in-case the original Log Book is lost by the student)(The ADI can provide a new one at cost to student after the item reported to Gardai)

Scenario: If I have a student who has difficulty with a certain area, example : EDT part 5. Junctions.(Number given for illustration only as an example) If I don't feel the student knows how to do a junction properly what ever the case maybe, they must repeat part 5 with me and keep repeating it until they do pass that section. The student could have a million lessons on that particular part, but until they pass it, they cant go on to part 6 or sit the test. I know it sounds slightly unfair but its what happening come this April 4th if you have not got a license before then.



Now!!

YOU can apply for the test and pay for the test, even if you have no lessons, but upon meeting your tester, prior to testing they will be required to show their provisional license and their EDT training log book signed as passed on all 12 key areas. If the student cant display this - the test is canceled but still charged. So there's no way round it!


The same law will remain where learners are given 2 yrs to learn to drive and sit their test, if they have not passed in 2 yrs, they will still have to apply for their test (85euro I think now) to be able to get their provisional learner permit renewed.

Its increasing the standard of driving and to push the increasing amount of provisional licence drivers off the road, that are driving illegally unaccompanied and not participating in the rules of the road.

We hope that a Garda update will be in support of new regulations, but the RSA didnt mention about them at the meeting! Anyone with a Learner permit/ Provisional license prior to 4/4/11, I dont believe they will be effected by the 12 EDT lessons, so apply now and save yourself a fortune, because the days of 3 or 4 lessons with an Instructor, drive on your own for a few months and then a few lessons to pass the test... Those days are going. Its going to be serious graft just like in UK and Europe.


( A small private survey conducted at an RSA test centre recently. The results concluded that the pass rate on the give week was 15% pass.
Of this amount all the drivers had, had 2-8hours proffesional driving lessons in their life, not over!
20% had only 1 lesson maximum before their test and no other driving lesson within 2weeks.
85% had driven to the test center illegally unaccompanied.
95% of drivers did not know if their driving instructor was registered with the RSA. (ADI = Approved Driving Instructor)

98% were sitting their test for the second time plus. That's 2% pass the test first time.
Of the 98%, 60% had already sat the test 3-4 times or more, and 20% sat the test 8 times previously.

This statistic of 98% will decrease because of the new EDT lessons!
ADI instructor's wont allow unprepared drivers do the test as if someone arrives for the test and all though they have a signed and stamped logbook declaration stating they have passed all 12 key areas, if their standard is not recognised by the RSA testers and fail their test, The ADI instructor may be called in for questioning and re-testing as part of the Rules of the Road and the EDT training.

In Conclusion - its almost like you have 12 small tests to do with your ADI driving instructor now, and then your over all test with the RSA.

Good Luck to Drivers holding a learner permit dated on or after April 4th!!! You'll Need It.