
Defensive Driving School of Redmond

Information about Defensive Driving School of Redmond
Opening hours
- sunday: (closed)
- monday: 9h-17:25
- tuesday: 9h-17:25
- wednesday: 9h-17:25
- thursday: 9h-17:25
- friday: 9h-17:25
- saturday: 9h-12:30
This location is by appointment only but our call center is open 6 days a week. We offer Teen Courses, Adult Private Driving Lessons and Department of Licensing Knowledge and Road tests.
Our comment from DrivingSchools.Directory about Defensive Driving School of Redmond:
The Defensive Driving School of Redmond is dedicated to providing a supportive and professional environment for all its students. Many users have praised the school for its excellent instructors, particularly Walter and Anna, who are noted for their patience, knowledge, and effective teaching styles. Here are some highlights based on customer feedback:
- Instructors' Expertise: Walter and Anna are frequently mentioned as standout instructors who create a calm, friendly atmosphere that reduces anxiety and encourages learning.
- Structured Learning: Students appreciated the thorough preparation for both the written and practical tests, with many passing on their first attempt.
- Supportive Environment: The school fosters a positive learning experience, with instructors providing constructive feedback to help build confidence.
However, there are some areas for improvement noted by users:
- Inconsistent Experiences: A few reviews mention varying experiences with different instructors, wherein some felt pressure during testing times.
- Customer Service Issues: Some users expressed concerns regarding scheduling and refunds, suggesting that management could improve in accommodating students’ needs.
Despite these mixed experiences, many students recommend the school for its quality instruction and effective learning programs. For anyone looking to gain confidence behind the wheel and develop safe driving habits, Defensive Driving School of Redmond could be a great choice!
Defensive Driving School of Redmond: Reviews
Fantastic experience: I took a defensive driving test in November and had a 1-hour practice session with Walter. He was incredibly friendly, patient, and supportive throughout. The practice session was invaluable as Walter pointed out key driving tips that drivers often overlook. The hour-long session not only helped ease my nervousness but also gave me a chance to practice and learn important maneuvers. Walter's calm demeanor and practical advice made a big difference in boosting my confidence. I highly recommend his sessions to anyone preparing for their driving test or looking to improve their skills!
We're delighted to hear about your positive experience with Walter during your defensive driving practice session. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Negative experience: I went for a 30-minute driving session and test, and the experience was quite frustrating. The lady proctoring my test was extremely irritating, constantly insisting that I drive at the exact speed limit, which only made me more nervous. She kept looking around and commenting on how other cars were slowing down because of me. I knew I was driving at a reasonable speed given the rush hour conditions, but her remarks made the whole experience unnecessarily stressful. Today, I took my test at a different center and realized how an instructor should treat a driver. Tests are naturally tense, and having an instructor continuously criticize and pressure you only makes it worse.
Fantastic experience: Learning to drive with Walter A. at Defensive Driving School in Redmond was a great experience. Walter’s patience and expertise made me feel comfortable and confident behind the wheel. He went above and beyond to ensure I understood the skills needed for both the test and everyday driving. I’m grateful for his guidance and highly recommend him to anyone looking to become a safe and confident driver. Thank you, Walter!
We are excited to hear about your positive experience with Walter at our Redmond location. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Fantastic experience: I had a good experience learning with Walter at Defensive Driving School in Redmond. Walter is patient and really took the time to help me understand not only how to drive well for my test but also to drive confidently and safely in everyday situations.
We greatly appreciate your positive feedback, Ramya. It's wonderful to hear about your experience at our Redmond location. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Fantastic experience: I took my lessons with both Walter and Josh. They are both great instructors, and I was able to pass my driving tests after 8 lessons. Definitely recommend this driving school!
We're excited to hear about your positive experience with our instructors, Walter and Josh. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback!
Negative experience: Took the 30 mins practice session followed by the road test. Have to say that the practice session was pretty much a lazy drive-around. Also, they have the incentive to fail the drivers so that the drivers go back for another round of tests by paying another $80 - I felt that they jump on the first chance they get to fail someone (sometimes unreasonably). Worst of all, the instructor did not offer any good, specific feedback at the end of the practice session and the test, except for a boilerplate recital of what we could easily find in the WA drivers manual. Overall, felt that the driving school is more interested in the money than in educating and creating value for their customers. Would not recommend.
Hi Sridhar, We regret your disatisfaction with our warm up and test package. The warm up is geared towards getting you familiar with the car, controls and to get familiar with the cars visibility. If the instructor noticed anything that could use correction, they would also provide that feedback, but this is not a driving lesson. We understand that not passing can be frustrating, but your statement you were failed so that you would have to take another test is just not true. As you're aware, you did not pass the test since you rolled through a stop when you were legally required to make a full stop. You were not only told this at the conclusion of your test but you were also given a carbon copy of the test stating the reason for the disqualification in writing. While you may deem this as a minor detail, we would be violating the law and risk our ability to conduct driving exams if we were to pass any student that does not meet the minimum required standard. We do wish for you to succeed. In case you've not yet reviewed this link from ourwebstie, we would encourage you to practice on all of the areas listed before attempting the test again. We wish you well on your next try wherever that may be. https://driving-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Driving-Test-Study-Guide.pdf
Fantastic experience: I cleared my skills test a couple of days ago. Mr. Walter from Redmond branch is very professional, patient, knowledgeable and expert. He can highlight your strengths and weaknesses in the first lesson. This is useful in your daily practice. Thank you Walter for all your guidance and support. Highly recommended!!
We're utterly delighted to hear about your experience at our Redmond branch. Thank you for your kind words and recommendation!
Fantastic experience: I took 5 of my 6 drives (4 drivers ed drives and the state test) with Walter A. He was very kind and patient and taught me everything I needed to learn to pass the drivers ed course. He was professional and friendly at the same time. Thanks Walter!
We are thrilled to hear about your positive experience with Walter. Thank you for sharing!
Negative experience: My wife had a very disappointing experience with the Russian lady instructor at this location. She was really rude and unprofessional, with poor communication and unclear directions. It felt like they were more focused on having you fail and come back to pay for another test. I highly recommend avoiding this place and looking for other driving schools in the area that provide better service and professionalism.
Hello Mike, we regret that your wife didn't feel like we acted professionally. If you would like to give us further feedback on what specifically happened, please email us at [email protected]. We want every applicant to pass the test, but we are also required to grade the skill test according to the Department of Licensing standards. Your wife would have been given a carbon copy of the test along with an explanation for any deduction. Please review that sheet and practice those areas so that the next attempt will be a success. If you've not already seen this page on our website, here is a list of tips and videos to help with the skill test: https://driving-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Driving-Test-Study-Guide.pdf - We wish your wife well wherever she goes to retake her test. Again, we regret that your wife wasn't satisfied with our professionalism.
Fantastic experience: Today, I finished my skill test at the Defensive Driving School of Redmond, and it was a great session from beginning to end. Walter Avillanoza, my instructor, was outstanding in all aspects. He was patient, encouraging, and took the time to teach all of the details of safety driving moves, ensuring that I completely understood them. His composed and upbeat manner made the lessons productive and stress-free, which was precisely what I required. The learning experience was well-structured, with a strong emphasis on safety and practical lessons throughout. Walter's individualized approach helped me gain confidence behind the wheel and fully prepared me for the driving test. I am grateful to have got this school for my driving education, and I would strongly suggest Walter and the Defensive Driving School of Redmond to anyone seeking to become a safe and responsible driver. It was a pleasure to learn from such a qualified and focused team. Thank you so much.
We're utterly delighted to hear about your positive experience at our Defensive Driving School in Redmond. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
Fantastic experience: Engaging driving instructors, Clay is great, Vincent is efficient, Josh is Josh, and the rest of the people who work there make a great environment for learning.
Your positive experience with our driving school is greatly appreciated. Thank you for recognizing our instructors and the great learning environment they provide.
Fantastic experience: great driving instructors!
We're thrilled to hear you had a great experience with our driving instructors!
Fantastic experience: I've been driving with Walter all summer and prior to meeting him I really struggled with other schools, but DDS and Walter made learning to drive incredibly easy. If you have anxiety, DDS with Walter is for you. He made the entire experience easy to learn with succinct lessons and interesting conversations. Walt was able to make the entire experience easy to learn with his common sense teaching methods.
We're utterly delighted to hear about your positive experience with Walter at DDS. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Negative experience: I scheduled the 30 Minute Warm-Up + License Testing - Company Vehicle for Redmond location. Instructor did not show up. They cancelled the lessons over the phone. They said they will refund. That was over a month ago. Still no refund, I emailed today to ask, let's see if I ever receive my money back.
Fantastic experience: Did a great job teaching, Clay made it fun and engaging (and clay is a winner)!
Fantastic experience: vincent and jason are great instructors
Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback. We greatly appreciate your comments on Vincent and Jason's instruction.
Fantastic experience: I'm learning new stuff everyday from here good instructors, and classes
We are happy to hear that you are learning new things everyday from our instructors and classes. Thank you for your positive feedback!
Positive experience: Currently taking the online classes. Vincent and Clay are hilarious and make it easy to pay attention and feel comfortable driving. Can't wait to get my license!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that Vincent and Clay are making your online classes enjoyable. Good luck with getting your license!
Fantastic experience: After taking several practice classes with my instructor Walter Avillanoza, I went for my skills test including warm-up at Redmond office. I had a wonderful experience with my instructor. He was very kind and exceptionally calm and helped me become a confident driver thanks to the defensive driving skills he taught me in addition to his positive attitude. During the warmup portion, he made sure I was comfortable and at ease and he also helped me comprehensively practice for the test and I was happy to pass! I highly recommend this school!
Fantastic experience: Clay sent me. But seriously he is great instructor and if you get him consider yourself lucky. Obviously most instructors are good but I don't have experience with them.
We're glad you had a positive experience with Clay as your instructor. Thank you for choosing our Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing Location. If you have any further feedback or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out at (425) 643-0116.
Fantastic experience: I had a good experience,Victor is a good road test officer.
We're glad to hear you had a positive experience during your road test. Thank you for choosing our Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing Location.
Fantastic experience: I took the skill test with a 30-minute warm-up, and it was very much worth it! Anna did a really great job of answering my questions during the warm-up, and she had a very calm voice, which helped ease my nervousness. For those who are coming outside the US, I highly recommend that you take the course with the 30 mins warm up or take up a class with this school for best practices. I would definitely have my wife enroll to this school once she is ready to take up her driving lessons.
We are thrilled to hear about your positive experience with our program. We too think Anna is wonderful. Thank you for recommending us to others, and we look forward to helping your wife with her driving lessons in the future. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Fantastic experience: Great school! Josh was really patient and helpful throughout.
We appreciate your feedback, Shubhra! Thank you for choosing our school for your defensive driving needs.
Fantastic experience: it was awesome and clay was the goat at instructing. that dude deserves a big raise
We're thrilled to hear you had a great experience with Clay! Thank you for the positive feedback. If you have any friends or family in need of our services, don't hesitate to give them our number: (425) 643-0116.
Fantastic experience: My wife had a warm-up and driving test with instructor Anna. She had a great experience, and I highly recommend Anna specifically. She is a really nice and kind instructor and helped my wife stay calm, as she was a bit nervous.
Thank you for your positive review, Arif! We're glad to hear that your wife had a great experience with instructor, Anna. We appreciate your recommendation and are happy to have Anna on our team.
Fantastic experience: I am a student at defensive driving school and have had great experiences with all of the staff, who have been super kind, understanding, supportive, and patient with my family and my questions. The instructor I had on my first drive was super informative and taught me a lot. I also love my teacher Clay who is super sweet and funny. He always finds ways to make class more engaging!
Negative experience: I like Redmond, and I go to the city for work daily. So I decided to take my driving test with this office. But learn from my lessons - if you have a car with cameras, and if that’s the only car that you have, and if there is no way for you to turn the cameras off or remove the camera views from your screen like me, don’t come here. Because no matter how hard you turn your head around and how often you look at the mirrors, the guy would assume that you were looking at the cameras and take all scores from you during the test, just because you have a car with newer technologies that you are not supposed to use. I’ve been going through my driving tests twice, I wasn’t doing great the first time so I didn’t pass. Understandable and it was fair, even though the first time he marked down all possible VIS problems that I could possibly have. And the latest test that I did today was still because of the VIS score deductions, even though I did not look at the camera once. I did, however, see the guy from the office looking at my camera view on the screen in the car almost every single time when the cameras are on, and I doubt he was focusing on what I was looking at while driving. So I would recommend getting an old car for your test, or go somewhere else with your newer cars, especially if they have cameras. Edit: don’t believe that they would actually review your case fairly and carefully. They only ‘say’ that you could request appeal, it won’t mean much. I spent a couple of weeks talking back and forth with some guy who was supposed to look at my case and assess further. But it’s been hard to get him talking about the same test that I completed and the same topics/areas that the score was deducted.
Hi NL, thank you for expressing your concerns. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify how the Washington State Skill Test is scored. Whether an applicant takes a test in their own vehicle or uses one of ours, the use of a back up camera is not prohibited. All of our company cars have back up cameras and they can certainly assist a driver in getting the best possible vision while backing up. That said, the majority of the vision needs to be looking out the back and side windows while moving in reverse. In case you've not already found this study guide on our website, I'm providing a link for you here: https://driving-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Driving-Test-Study-Guide.pdf We wish well on your next attempt whether that be with us or another testing facility.
Negative experience: If you come here for testing and you have cameras on your car, turn them off or cover them up! Even if you don’t look at them once, they might distract the instructor, who I guess will just assume you are using them and take off points for that alone, across multiple sections.
Hi JW, thank you for expressing your concerns. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify how the Washington State Skill Test is scored. Whether an applicant takes a test in their own vehicle or uses one of ours, the use of a back up camera is not prohibited. All of our company cars have back up cameras and they can certainly assist a driver in getting the best possible vision while backing up. That said, the majority of the vision needs to be looking out the back and side windows while moving in reverse. In case you've not already found this study guide on our website, I'm providing a link for you here: https://driving-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Driving-Test-Study-Guide.pdf We wish well on your next attempt whether that be with us or another testing facility.
Fantastic experience: I had a wonderful experience at Defense Driving school U district Seattle. I took a few lessons with Ahmed, he was very sweet and encouraging and taught me instead of criticizing me. My driving test was taken by Jimmy Green. The sweetest man I have met. He made sure I was comfortable during the test. Pointed out my small mistakes during the warmup and literally was so so sweet but at the same time was fair during the test. He in the end explained me my mistakes with their reasonings. Totally recommend the driving school and big shout out to Jimmy and Ahmed :)
Thank you for your kind words, Shubhi! We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience. We appreciate your recommendation and are glad that both Ahmed and Jimmy provided you with excellent service.
Fantastic experience: My daughter just successfully completed her driver training through Defensive Driving. Instructor Glen Williams did a magnificent job preparing her for the written and skills test and she passed. Thanks a million!!!!
Thank you for choosing Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing, Jeff! We're thrilled to hear that your daughter had a successful experience with us. Glen is indeed a fantastic instructor, and we're glad he prepared her well for the tests. We appreciate your kind words and hope to assist you or your family again in the future.
Fantastic experience: My instructor Vincent was great he was very clear, understanding of people questions and always made sure to answer. The meeting advisor or tech advisor, Clay was very helpful always answered questions very clearly and quickly. Definitely a really good driving school option. The things they teach are very helpful
Thank you for your positive review, Wil! We're glad to hear that Vincent and Clay provided excellent service and answered all your questions. We strive to be a top-notch driving school, and we're thrilled that you found our lessons helpful. If you have any further feedback or need assistance in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at (425) 643-0116.
Fantastic experience: We have had two kids attend the North Everett location. Glen was our instructor and was beyond helpful and supportive. His knowledge that he has shared with us has been beyond our expectations. I am only let down that our 3rd child will not be able to have his time and knowledge. Thanks Glen! You are the best. What a positive experience.
Dear Leane, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a positive review! We're thrilled to hear that your kids had a great experience at our North Everett location and that Glen was an excellent instructor. We'll make sure to pass along your kind words to him!
Fantastic experience: I recently had my driving test with instructor Jimmy G and I can't praise him enough. His calm demeanor and patience truly helped ease my nerves, making the test much less intimidating than I'd initially thought. His approach is supportive, patient, and highly effective. I passed with confidence and it was all thanks to Jimmy's expert guidance. For anyone who is looking for an instructor who truly cares for his students' success, I cannot recommend Jimmy G enough.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience at Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing Location. We greatly appreciate your positive review and are thrilled to hear that your driving test with instructor Jimmy went so well.
Fantastic experience: Vincent+clay = the best teaching duo
Fantastic experience: I love Brett. He makes the videos fun. Clay and Vincent are the best instructors. I won.
Hello Kasen, Thank you for your review and kind words about our Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing Location. We're thrilled to hear that you had a positive experience with our instructors, particularly Brett, Clay, and Vincent. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we're here to ensure you have a fun and informative learning experience.
Fantastic experience: As a new student driver at DDS Redmond location to getting my license, I had an absolutely fantastic experience learning to drive, and it's all thanks to the outstanding driving instructor, Josh! From start to finish, my journey with this driving school was nothing short of exceptional. Throughout our driving lessons, Josh maintained a patient and encouraging demeanor. He never made me feel rushed or pressured, which significantly boosted my confidence behind the wheel. Every mistake I made was met with constructive feedback and practical tips on how to improve, making each lesson a valuable learning experience.
Dear Ashlesha, Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that your experience with us was nothing short of exceptional, and we greatly appreciate your positive feedback. We are especially thrilled to hear that our driving instructor, Josh, provided you with patient and encouraging guidance throughout your lessons. We believe that building confidence behind the wheel is crucial for new student drivers, and it's wonderful to hear that Josh instilled that in you. We are glad that you found each lesson to be a valuable learning experience.
Fantastic experience: I loved the instruction from DDS! I entered the class as an adult who only drove less than 2 hours before I started. Each of the instructors I had helped me get my driver’s license in less than 3 months; while giving me advice on being a safe driver.
Hello Keith, Thank you so much for your positive review and kind words about our Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing Location! We're thrilled to hear that our instruction helped you obtain your driver's license within such a short period of time. Ensuring the safety of our students is always our top priority, and it's great to know that our instructors provided you with valuable advice on being a safe driver. If you have any friends or family members who are looking to learn defensive driving skills or prepare for their driver's license test, please don't hesitate to refer them to us. We're here to help!
Fantastic experience: I took this with my sister, and I had an amazing time! Paul is a great "admin" who is super helpful, and Clay is an absolutely amazing instructor. I'll honestly miss taking the class, and I've gotten a lot more comfortable driving in just a few days.
Hello MacKenzie, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. It's great to hear that our team provided you with the assistance you needed throughout your journey. We strive to create a comfortable and supportive learning environment for all our students, and we're glad to hear that you felt more confident. Should you or anyone you know need driving instruction, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to help!
Fantastic experience: I highly recommend Defensive Driving School. I had a lot of anxiety going into driver's ed. I blindly signed up for the Zoom classes at Defensive Driving School after hearing a lot of bad reviews of the other driver's ed schools near me. For the most part, their Zoom classes kept me engaged and the information really stuck with me. Keep in mind I'm a very independent learner, so I can't speak for those who are easily distracted, but otherwise I'd recommend their Zoom course. The instructors at my location are all so helpful and friendly- but not overly- as instructors should be. I felt very safe during all of my drives. I would recommend Defensive Driving School to any of my friends, and I hope this review is found helpful. Despite my anxiety, I'm a great, safe, defensive driver, who honestly looks forward to going on drives!
Thank you for your kind words! Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to provide you with your driver training needs.
Fantastic experience: We've had a few kids go through the driving program here. Very good program with great staff. Highly professional. The behind the wheel drive instructor Josh Johnston has nerves of steel. Two thumbs up.
Thank you, Jon, for your kind words. We appreciate it!
Fantastic experience: Learned how to drive here and got my license thanks to Josh! I highly recommend booking lessons with him. He ensures you know what is needed to pass the test and challenges you to be a safer driver. Ask as many questions as you can; he has tons of knowledge to share and is very patient.
Thank you, Mara, for your kind words. We too love having Josh on our team. Thank you for giving us the opportuntiy to to provide you with your driving lesson and driving test needs at our Redmond office.
Fantastic experience: I haven't finished classes quite yet, but I've had a really nice time. I feel like i know the curriculum decently for my skill level, and the teachers teach, (big shocker, i know) very well. The drive instructor was very kind, and when i logged in to zoom i was pleasanly surprised. I was kinda expecting a "robot teacher,' in the sense that it was always about the learning, nothig else, but the instructor was kind, and laughed at our jokes sometimes. Plus, he own swords, so thats instantly cool. Big shout out to Clay and Paul, from the kirkland location. You guys made a very serious class entertaining.
Thank you, Anatoly, for your kind words.
Negative experience: Do NOT go take your skill test at this location. They are really bad and unprofessional. They will fail you intentionally so you can come back to pay them again to retake the test. Stay away from them. Look for other driving schools. There are many other good schools in the area. Don't wast your money!
Hi John, we regret you feel that our examiner was unprofessional. While we do understand that not passing a test can be frustrating, we're required by law to grade the test precisely to Department of Licensing guidelines. All mistakes noted on the test are put down in writing and given to you verbally. We hope the feedback given on your previous attempt will help you know what to practice and improve for your next attempt wherever that may be. Best of luck.
Fantastic experience: Tyson was really great, made me feel comfortable. I really appreciate his dedication, I thought he was a great instructor!
Fantastic experience: I took the written and road tests with them. Marty was great during the road test. He was very calm and even when I lost some points, I didn't hear it in his voice, which allowed me to keep going and not get more nervous. Thanks!
Thank you for your kind words. We're glad your testing experience went well.
Negative experience: The Wiser Driver.com Driving School in Powder Springs, Ga., offers a defensive driving class. Save your money and move on to another school. I paid $405 for my daughter to go through driving school and get the defensive driving certificate. They lied and said she kept cancelling for that class, even though they cancelled twice. If they do not have enough students to fill the defensive class, they won't have one. I stutter and 2 employees thought they would talk all over me. They put me on hold without asking me to "hold on." The driver showed up early and expected her to come out the house early. I had to complain! When I fussed about the defensive driving class, they told me that they offered that free anyway, it was just included in the $405. When they finally agreed to giving her the class, they put me on hold forever, so I just hung up. After such terrible customer service, I wouldn't trust the class after our experience. I was glad that she finished the school to get her license but I can get a defensive driving certificate with a business that has better customer service skills.
Hi Gila, based on the information you listed, it appears that you may have us mixed up with a different organization as we do not offer any type of driving course package for $405. We are a driving school near Seattle, WA. If we are mistaken, please reach out to us at 425 643 0116 so that we can follow up with you.
Fantastic experience: The instructors were very nice and helpful in learning how to drive, and even though the classes were online, the class didn't feel boring, you are always learning something new! Definitely recommend!
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with a review. We're so glad you were always learning during our classes. We wish you well on your journey to ticket and collision free driving.
Negative experience: Results vary on the proctor. One proctor gave an automatic fail for a mistake while another proctor took off points for the same mistake. Different grading makes it seem like they're just after your money. Edit: the proctor referenced failing to stop at the stop in the parking lot in both tests.
Hello Hector, thank you for your feedback. I had a chance to review your score sheets from both of the tests you took and will provide you with addtional information. You are partially correct about you making the same mistake twice and being graded differently. On your first exam, you didn't make a complete stop at a stop sign that was in a parking lot. When this happens, we are required to deduct 4 points and deduct it under general driving performance. On your most recent test, you didn't make a full stop at a stop sign at an intersection. When this happens, we are required to stop scoring the test and mark it as a violation of the law. No matter where you test, this will be the case. We wish you the best wherever you may take the test. We have a document on our website that I would recoomend reviewing before attempting the test again: https://driving-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Driving-Test-Study-Guide.pdf If you are able to practice with someone who can also review these items, this will give you the best chance at success.
Positive experience: While the instructors are really nice and skilled folks, the school management is not great. They don't show the availability of slots for drive class until you pay the money. Also getting slots even after paying money seems to be our headache and they don't help you at all. The worst thing is they have no accomodations for emergencies for rescheduling and expect you to have knowledge 24 hours prior to the emergency! Edit : Reply to what the owner wrote: Yes I made it to the class but that doesn't change the fact that you are not helpful.
Hi Barathi, we appreciate your feedback. We're glad that you've had a positive experience with our instructors. To address some of your other concerns, it's true that you have to have signed up for a product in order to view our schedule online. We also note on our website that we can let you know over the phone what the availability is before you sign up. We see that you contacted us 4 hours prior to your lesson asking to cancel, but that you were able to make the appointment afterall. We wish you the best as you continue to work towards gaining your license.
Negative experience: This would have been five stars because Anna was a great instructor for the time I had her. Unfortunately however I ended up missing one of my lessons due to work and sickness, and the instructor reassured me over the phone that I could reschedule the lesson in the system and that it would just be a cancellation fee, which is standard. However when I went to reschedule the company refused to honor this and did not allow me to reschedule this lesson, charging me both for the price of the lesson *and* the cancellation fee, and I did not get the lesson back. Not only that but when I told them what the instructor said over the phone, the representative told me, basically, "no he didn't". I later discovered they have a 48 hour cancellation policy, which is unreasonable especially in COVID times imo as the standard is typically 24 hours. For poor customer service and customer misinformation I have to take off four stars. If I can't trust the instructors to give me the right information, and can't trust customer service to correct this mistake, then I am wary about continuing to give them my business. I switched to 911 Driving school instead and got my license there.
Hi Elizabeth, we're dispointed that we didn't meet your expectations. It would appear that something wasn't communicated correctly on our end. If a student misses an appointment or cancels at the last minute, they would lose the lesson. There is no late cancel plus a new lesson fee and I regret that there was confusion here. We're so glad that you felt the instruction was valuable and that you were able to succesfully complete your test and obtain your license.
Fantastic experience: Defensive driving is a great school and Anna was a great teacher. I moved from out of town and already had 10 years of driving experience. I took a 1-hr session and did all the tests with defensive driving. Anna was very professional and very calm and taught so well! She taught me so many useful driving skills along with helping me understand the DOL licensing process. I highly recommend defensive driving in Redmond!
Thank you for your kind words regarding your instruction. We wish you success on your way towards being a ticket and collision free driver.
Fantastic experience: I went for my driving test today. I took the 30 min warm up session followed by the driving test. Anna was my instructor. She was very helpful and very clear in instructing me the details of the test. I did not understand some of the usual slangs like backing around the corner etc.. but she was patient and explained me everything in a clam manner. I would recommend this place to all first time drivers.
Thank you for your kind words, Abhimanya. We're so glad you found your experience helpful.
Positive experience: The driving course was great, though classes were chaotic, I enjoyed the experience. My favorite part were the helpers that did role call because they somehow knew your name everytime you went to class. The only eh part of the class was the confusion on whether you needed to get 50 or 10 hours. You needed ten hours.
Thank you for your kind words. We're sorry about the confusion of the hours needed to practice. Our teen courses requrire 10 hours of practice to complete the course (as you've mentioned), but it's the DOL that requires 50 hours before someone under the age of 18 to have before they can obtain their license. I know you understand this but am pointing it out to others who may read your review.
Fantastic experience: I would highly recommend defensive driving school for everyone. All instructors are really helpful (Especially Anna). Let me summarize my experience. When I started taking classes I was a new driver, hardly have driven anywhere. I took around 10 classes and within those classes the instructor taught me various driving skills (parallel parking, backing round corner, pull over and many more). Even if I ask the same questions multiple times, they explained very well and stayed calm. These skills made be very confident in driving. Now I drive on my own everywhere. Special thanks to Anna (my instructor) for teaching me.
Thank you, Sowmya, for your kind words. We're so glad that you're now enjoying the freedom that comes with being a licensed driver!
Fantastic experience: I would highly recommend this place. I was a very nervous learner, and after my lessons here I am now a qualified, confident, and safe driver! My instructor was Anna, and I really enjoyed my lessons with her. She was professional, knowledgeable, calm, patient, clear and friendly. She managed to find the perfect balance between helping to build my confidence, whilst at the same time helping me recognize and work through my areas of weakness. I took the knowledge test and skills test with DDS, and both experiences were great. I passed both on my first attempt. I also found the customer support team extremely helpful. I emailed them with a lot of questions, and they always responded to me in a swift, helpful and friendly manner. Overall, I'm super happy I chose DDS as my driving school!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for taking the time to leave a review. We're glad you were able to gain confidence and we wish you well on your journey to collision and ticket free driving!
Fantastic experience: I had good experience with Herton. She's been teaching driving for 40 years. In addition to improving my driving skills, she also taught me valuable lessons she's learned or mistakes she's seen her students make.
Thank you for your kind words.
Positive experience: Bit of a bottleneck area trying to get out of Trader Joe's and then over to Def Driving. Otherwise, good location, parking available.
We appreciate your feedback, thank you.
Fantastic experience: Anna is easily the best in the business! I took my driving lessons from her and was able to pass the skill test with a lot of ease and confidence. She is very patient with her students and maintains her composure at all times. Even when you do a mistake, she doesn't panic and doesn't let it affect the student's confidence either. I will highly recommend her as a driving instructor for students with any level of expertise (from beginner to advanced).
Thank you, Mani, for your very kind words as well as recommendations for your friends. We too think Anna is great!
Fantastic experience: As others have said, Anna is an incredible instructor. She is both knowledgeable and reassuring, constantly offering feedback throughout a drive. When I explained I needed refresher lessons to feel comfortable behind the wheel after several years of infrequent driving, she created a plan to meet my goals over the few sessions we had together.
Thank you for your kind words. We're glad to have been able to have met your goals.
Fantastic experience: I went from having almost no experience driving to getting my drivers license in about a month thanks to Defensive Driving School. My instructor was Anna and I learned a lot from her, she was friendly and professional and helped me form safe habits while driving.
Thank you, Ferose! We appreciate your kind words.
Fantastic experience: Anna is an excellent Driving Instructor. Her methods are simple and easy to follow. She provides full detail analysis of your driving and suggests improvements based on that. Highly Recommend ||
Thank you, Rahul!
Fantastic experience: I am happy to recommend Ana, she is very professional, calm and experienced. Thank you.
Thank you, Karunakar, for your kind words.
Fantastic experience: Anna is a five star trainer. She is very calm and composed so accepts your mistake as your opportunity to learn and she keeps guiding you throughout training on the wheel. Her way of teaching is amazing! The best part is that you don't feel intimidated in actual driving test while she still performs her responsibility with full professionalism. Thank you Anna for warm-up session and reviewing my driving test. You are the best!
Thank you, Vivek, for your kind words. We too think Anna is wonderful!
Fantastic experience: I passed my driving test today. Kudos to Kathelyn my instructor who was super helpful and patient throughout the duration of conducted test. She was thorough and very involved in process. I would give her a big shout out for all of her efforts.
Thank you, Ashish, for your kind words.
Fantastic experience: Anna is the best instructor ever! After 5 classes, I was able to pass my road test!!! The way they explain is excellent and they provide very good tips and techniques to remember certain things on the road. I recommend this place without hesitation!!!
Fantastic experience: Anna is a great instructor! She is kind, patient, encouraging & supportive. Each class was well planned in advance. Anna maintained a checklist and gave me constructive feedback during & after each driving session. For anyone who's new to driving in the US, I highly recommend practicing with Defensive Driving.
Thank you, Ajay, for your kind words.
Fantastic experience: I had an amazing experience while learning to drive with instructor Anna at Redmond location. Anna was knowledgable and patient. She gave clear explanations about various road rules and driving scenarios. I received a lot of useful tips which helped me feel more confident about my driving. During each class I felt comfortable asking all the questions that I would come up with. Anna was always calm and friendly. I enjoyed every class that I took. When I went to take the test I was confident and relaxed.
Thank you, Ana, for your kind words. We too think Anna is a great instructor.
Fantastic experience: Really good experience and Anna is a great teacher. Took five 90 min classes at this school. It has been 3 years since I last drove and completely new to left hand drive. Was nervous in my first class and made a lot of mistakes but Anna was really patient and helped me recover from the mistakes. Each class was tailored to go over from the basics and cover all the essentials, the different maneuvers, lane changes, city driving and freeway driving. Highly recommend taking a class here before giving skill test.
Thank you, Deepak, for your kind words. We too think Anna is excellent.
Negative experience: I purchased 5 90-minute lessons over the weekend. Upon logging into the scheduling system, however, it became apparent that the school has almost no availability whatsoever - they had only 4 days with drives available in the next 40+ days. Mind you, my schedule is quite flexible, but it's impossible to schedule lessons if they have no availability, and yet they continue to sell lessons over their website - i.e. even if I could make it in all 4 days, the earliest I would be able to finish my lessons would be in the second half of September. What was even more outrageous is that when I requested a refund, they stated that I have to pay a $15 fee, even though the school is clearly at fault here (selling packages even though they don't have any availability to speak off). And of course I had no choice but to agree to it. Overall, very unprofessional and disappointing, esp. given how accommodating some of the other schools in the area I had experience with can be.
Hi Alexander, thank you for sharing your feedback. We're sorry that we do not currently have the availability you are seeking. I'd like to see if we can offer you a different solution at a different location that is on the Redmond/Bellevue border. Can you contact us at 425 643 0116 x103?
Fantastic experience: I already had a driving license from abroad when I moved to Redmond and needed to get Washington license. I took one hour lesson and both knowledge and practice tests in Defensive Driving School. Anna is very patient instructor who welcomes any kind of questions concerning driving and traffic rules and answers them clearly. She gave me some useful remarks that helped me to pass my test from the first try. Having had license tests in two other countries except for the US, I want to emphasize particularly positive, encouraging and calm atmosphere during the practice test.
Fantastic experience: Thank you DDS, Very cool! Anna good teacher, very fun. 911 Driving school is fake news.
Fantastic experience: Taking Driver’s Ed with Defensive Driving has been an overall good experience. The instructor of my class, Anna, is very patient with us and makes an effort to keep us engaged.
Fantastic experience: My experience with the place was pretty seamless. I was done with my lesson and test within an hour and a half. Anna was my instructor during the lesson as well as the scorer for the test. During the lesson, I asked Anna to help me practice parallel parking and backing into the driveway and she gave me few simple thumb rules. She also explained the scoring scheme well. She was patient and positive during the driving lesson. I Would highly recommend her to all.
Fantastic experience: Overall - I'm happy I chose this school, my experience is quite positive and I recommend this school. I already had a driver experience and license, issued by another country, so I just needed to pass tests to get WA license. Although I'm quite experienced driver, I decided to take one lesson to understand what to expect from the test. Anna is awesome instructor, we tried all maneuvers, she gave some very useful advice and explained what to expect on the test. She didn't try to sell me more lessons and I passed the test from the first try. So I'm very happy with the school
Fantastic experience: I love Gayan because he is the best teacher and is very good -Mason
Fantastic experience: Course is worth it and Stan the man is great at teaching young students defensive driving and teaching them how to be safe on those dangerous streets. (P.S. the class is not cold)
Fantastic experience: Anna is extremely patient, calm and brings in positive energy during the driving lessons. She has a passion for teaching and I am glad I decided to bring my daughter here . I Would highly recommend her to all.
Fantastic experience: Anna is a great teacher and the environment is very welcoming! Each lesson provides lots of valuable information about driving!
Fantastic experience: Anna is very calm and understanding of the driver and it helps to drive without feeling nervous. Classes are fun and engages the students well.
Positive experience: The classes teach knowledge that some or most drivers forgot about or never knew about driving. Teens are learning specific information and techniques on driving so when they become experienced drivers they can be safe role models for others on the road.
Fantastic experience: Anna is a great instructor. She’s very calm, kind and respectful! I would recommend people to this location.
Positive experience: We have a good driving instructor. Learning a lot. Instructor is a little politically incorrect, but they try. Made class entertaining. Would recommend.
Fantastic experience: Stan is a real fun and good teacher. Very helpful with driving. Classes are fun and helpful. Overall, a fun time at school.
Fantastic experience: I had a lot of fun at this school; even if it was during the summer. We played game and watched a lot of videos that made us gasp. Thank you Anna for allowing me to have fun and make friends at Defensive Driving School.
Fantastic experience: I took the knowledge test with AJ and was lucky enough to get the driver test scheduled on the same day with Tyson. Both of them were very professional and the experience was quick and comfortable.
Fantastic experience: Teachers are pretty nice, driving can be stressful but they push you to build your confidence by doing things you might not have thought you could do before. Pretty good place. Classes are really long though.
Fantastic experience: The teacher Anna is helpful and laid back. The drives really are helpful and she gives good advice for driving in the future.
Fantastic experience: Anna and Stan are very patient on drives and te class sessions are interesting and fun. I enjoyed my time at defensive driving school and Anna gave very helpful tips and instructions.
Fantastic experience: Anna is a good instructor who makes learning interesting
Fantastic experience: Anna is a pretty cool teach, but you can't use phones so...
Fantastic experience: The course is great! Anna and Stan are great instructors, highly recommend. Overall pleasant experience.
Fantastic experience: This is a great class!! They have a great teacher Sophie. She is a very good teacher that is good at explaining and is nice to all of her students. Would highly recommend this class to everyone!! Madelynn Butler
Positive experience: Sophie is an great instructor, very calm and collected. She makes driving less stressful and her stories that go with what we are learning that session are always fun to hear. L.H
Fantastic experience: I felt really safe and in good hands with Anna who is the best instructor you can ask for. Thank you!
Fantastic experience: A really comprehensive method! Learning safe driving with Anna is a good time!!
Positive experience: Anna was a great instructor. She made it a fun and informative class!
Fantastic experience: We love our instructor Anna!! She's so happy, kind, and helpful. :) - Whitney and Elyse
Fantastic experience: Great class if you want to drive safe! We learn a lot about how to avoid accidents and collisions and the staff are really nice! Love Stan and Anna(:
Positive experience: my instructor was anna, the school tells you to rate them 5 stars at the end of the year. I’m changing this to 3 stars because I had a generally good time, but Anna was passive-aggressive and didn’t give good feedback, kind of just annoyed me. I know the rest of the people I talked to in my class agreed on this. Some teachers were amazing, and the only one I’d say made the experience a little less fun was Anna.
Fantastic experience: My instructor was Stan and he was definitely really helpful and entertaining in class. 10 out of 10 would recommend. They are generally pretty quick to respond to emails if you have questions or other needs. This place is also located near a boba tea place and Jimmy John's, so that's pretty nice to grab a snack before/after. My only complaint would be that the bathroom and building is a little worn, but in general the instruction is fine.
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