An algorithm for estimating the lane departure of a vehicle is derived and implemented based on an EDF(edge distribution function) obtained from gray-level images taken by a CCD camera mounted on a vehicle. As the function of edge direction, the EDF is aimed to show the distribution of edge direction and to estimate the possibility of lane departure with respect to its symmetric axis and local mamma. The EDF plays important roles: 1) It reduces noisy effects caused by dynamic road scene. 2) It makes possible lane identification without camera modeling. 3) It also leads LDW(lane departure warning) problem to a mathematical approach. When the situations of lane departure such that the vehicle approaches to lane marks or runs in the vicinity of the lane marks are occurred, the orientation of lane marks in images is changed, and then the situations are immediately reflected to the EDF. Accordingly, the lane departure is estimated by studying the shape of the EDF. The proposed EDF-based algorithm enhanced the adaptability to cope with the random and dynamic road environments, and eventually led to the reliable LDW system.