The Tale of the

Parent and the Sponsor:

A Key Role in the Essential Driver Training (EDT) Journey

Driving is a lifelong skill, one that carries significant responsibilities. As a sponsor for a learner driver undergoing the Essential Driver Training (EDT) program in Ireland, your support is crucial in shaping their attitudes and behaviours toward road safety. The role of a sponsor extends beyond merely supervising practice drives—it involves nurturing the learner's abilities, reinforcing road safety principles, and working in tandem with their Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) to ensure a comprehensive learning experience.

Parents, Are You Ready to Be the Sponsor?

To be an effective sponsor, you should have held a full driver licence for at least two years, preferably five, and ideally have at least 100,000 kilometers of driving experience under your belt. Your role in the learning-to-drive process is as significant as that of the learner driver and their ADI, and it's crucial that you all collaborate to help the learner become a safe and socially responsible driver.

Working with Your Instructor and Supporting the EDT Work

The EDT learner logbook, given to every learner at the start of their EDT course, is a valuable tool for planning practice sessions. The ADI provides feedback in this logbook, which helps you and the learner structure practice outside of formal lessons. As a sponsor, your role is to complement the ADI's work, supporting the learner as they practice in diverse driving conditions and environments. You're there to help them gain experience and confidence as they learn to drive.

As a sponsor, your task is to establish a learning structure that is both achievable and effective for your learner driver. This could involve scheduling practice sessions between formal lessons, using the learner's log book to assess their progress, and planning a schedule of practice drives.

Practice Like You Play, Play Like You Practice

It's essential to provide your learner with practice opportunities that align with their training plan. Try to plan practice routes that incorporate the learning objectives set by the ADI. Re-familiarizing yourself with the rules of the road will not only benefit your learner, but also help you become a more socially responsible driver yourself. It's crucial to work closely with the ADI to ensure that the learner's best interests are met in a safe and realistic manner, which suits the learner's individual learning style.

The Role of The Sponsor

Don't Take the Responsibility of Being a Sponsor Lightly

Your Instructor Is Your Guide

Before you embark on your sponsor role, it's beneficial to meet with the ADI to discuss how best to support the learner driver. You may want to understand when you should get involved in the learner's training, how to plan practice sessions between lessons, and where you can find support to help you in your role as a sponsor. Some sponsors find it beneficial to accompany their learner on one of their lessons with the ADI. This experience can provide a better understanding of the format of the driving lessons and how best to provide support.

Being chosen as a sponsor indicates that the learner driver trusts both your driving ability and your capacity to guide them toward becoming a safe and socially responsible road user. It's a role that requires time, effort, and commitment. Remember, this is the first step on their lifelong journey of safe, responsible, and enjoyable driving.

For more information on learning to drive, visit RSA.ie or call 01 902 310

When it comes to conducting your EDT, our instructors are simply the best. We begin by setting you up on our highly convenient booking platform, where you can choose from a list of expert driving instructors in your area. If you need assistance with this selection, we're always on hand to help.

Once your instructor is chosen, our platform makes scheduling, rescheduling, or canceling driving lessons a breeze. You also gain access to valuable instructor feedback and our extensive array of online training resources. Your chosen instructor will expertly guide you through the EDT programme, ensuring you understand and master each lesson.

And the best part? They'll prepare you at your own pace to confidently ace the driving test. And if you need to switch instructors you can. With our team, you're not just learning to drive, you're being empowered to succeed.