Defensive Driving Course at the AA

About the Defensive Driving Course:

The Defensive Driving Course will give you the knowledge and confidence to be a smarter and safer driver. You’ll learn important defensive driving skills, such as assessing and identifying hazards to reduce the risk of being in a crash.

Whether you’re on your learner or restricted licence, you can reduce the time it takes to get your full licence by six months when you complete an NZTA Waka Kotahi approved AA Defensive Driving Course. This means you could apply for your full licence as early as 17½ years old.

If you have a learner licence:

• You can attend a Defensive Driving Course once you have your learner licence and you are confident enough to complete a 1-hour drive.
• If you complete a Defensive Driving Course, you reduce the time you're required to spend on your restricted licence by 6 months.

If you have a restricted licence:

• If you complete a Defensive Driving Course, you reduce the time you're required to spend on your restricted licence by 6 months.
• If you're over 25, the time on your restricted licence is reduced from 6 months to 3 months.

If you have a full licence:

You can still benefit from the defensive driving course, particularly if you:

• want to refresh your driving knowledge and skill base
• are a police recruit
• have a court referral or completing a Police Diversion programe

Defensive Driving Course vouchers

You can also buy vouchers for the Defensive Driving Course which you can use at a later date or gift to someone else. The voucher is not a booking but can be redeemed when making a booking.

Vouchers are for courses provided by the AA and cannot be used for other licensed course providers.

View list of AA licensed course providers

Buy a voucher

Redeem voucher

Defensive Driving Course content:

The course takes 9 hours to complete and includes:

• 4 classroom sessions (2 hours each - 8 hours total)
• 1 in-car session (1 hour)
• Access to online learning (eDrive)

Classroom sessions

We learn with real-life driving situations filmed on New Zealand roads during interactive theory group sessions.  In the course we discuss various scenarios, observations and hazards to improve understanding.

These sessions need to be completed in order. 

If you feel the need to bring a support person or reader-writer with you to the course, please contact us prior to your course date.

In-car session

This session helps you identify bad habits and teaches you how to address them before you take your practical driving test. The assessment drive will fine-tune your driving skills and raise your awareness of hazard detection and appropriate responses to those hazards. The in-car session needs to be completed within 60 days of the last in-classroom session. This drive is completed in your own vehicle.

Online learning (eDrive)

The online learning and test focus on visual search and situation awareness that are directly linked to crash risk. eDrive shows real-life driving situations filmed on NZ roads with you right in the driver’s seat.

Your account is valid for 28 days from the day you register online. There is no limit to the number of attempts on the test.  However, you will need to have a minimum score of 80% or greater to receive your certificate of completion. This must be completed prior to your in-car drive.

You are required to show a copy of your eDrive certificate to your tutor, when you attend your in-car practical drive. This can either be shown to the tutor on your mobile device or a printed copy.

Locations for licensed providers of the Defensive Driving Course

These providers are licensed to facilitate the AA Defensive Driving Course, they provide the venue and will manage all arrangements directly with you including booking, payment and documentation. 

Once submitting your booking through the system, the provider will contact you directly to advise course dates and other details.