
Defensive Driving School of West Seattle

Information about Defensive Driving School of West Seattle
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 West Seattle:
Defensive Driving School of West Seattle offers a comprehensive driving education experience with a focus on safety and confidence-building for new drivers. Our instructors, including the highly praised Marty and Deep, are dedicated professionals who create a supportive and positive learning environment. Here are some key highlights from user feedback:
- Effective Learning: Many students have reported successfully passing their driving tests on the first attempt thanks to our skilled instructors, who emphasize practical tips and defensive driving techniques.
- Comprehensive Course Structure: The school's program includes a blend of online theoretical sessions and practical driving experiences, which are crucial for mastering essential driving skills.
- Supportive Staff: Instructors are known for their patience and understanding, particularly for those who may be anxious about driving or adapting to a new country.
- Flexible Scheduling: Although scheduling can sometimes be challenging due to high demand, the school strives to accommodate students' needs.
- Positive Environment: The school's commitment to creating an encouraging atmosphere has made it a preferred choice for many, including those who have had negative experiences elsewhere.
While there have been some concerns about technical issues and scheduling conflicts, the school is actively working to address these challenges. Overall, Defensive Driving School of West Seattle is regarded as a reliable and effective place for new drivers to begin their journey on the road.
Defensive Driving School of West Seattle: Reviews
Negative experience: My wife took the knowledge test on her phone using the WiFi provided by the school. The internet was slow and my wife pressed the next button to go to the next question but the screen didn’t move. She pressed the next button again and the system finally caught up and skipped her ahead 2 questions. Personnel at the school DID NOT allow her to go back to answer the questions that were skipped and she scored a 78%. Unprofessional that a school would not allow for a test taker to make up for a clerical error that stems from their provided WiFi. If you read other reviews you will see that this place is greedy for money and it only makes sense that they would deny her the ability to answer every question so that the chances of us having to pay MORE money increases. Caution when taking your tests here!!! *Update* Wife went somewhere else (Roadsafe Driving Academy) within an hour and took the test again.. she passed with flying colors. Again, do not test here at DDS of West Seattle.
Hi Chris, We regret that your wife may have expirienced any connection issues while taking the knowledge test. Prior to registering for the knowledge test, we require applicants to have a connected device. It seems that we shared our private wifi connection with your wife based on your comments. We do not have any ability to control the tests or give someone the ability to go back and a review skipped questions. The digital tests are from the Department of Licensing and we are only there to supervise the test. We also do not charge a fee for a 2nd attempt at the knowledge test. We wish your wife well on her next attempt whether that is with us and another establishment.
Positive experience: Pricey for sure, but a really effective way to learn all the things you need. You go on 5 instructor led drives, and take about 15 online sessions (2hours each) with a mid term test and a final test. There’s additional things like a collision avoidance course, and a sim training program. The instructors are well trained and know how to teach you and are very helpful.
Your feedback is incredibly valuable. We're glad to hear you found our program effective and our instructors helpful. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Fantastic experience: good place
Fantastic experience: Nathan is a fantastic instructor!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We too believe Nathan is a fantastic instructor.
Fantastic experience: Driving school is expensive, but if the cost is manageable somehow, this driving school does a great job helping teens learn specific rules of Seattle-area driving as well as all the national ones that parents who are veteran drivers would know. The instructors are calm, patient and to the point. The process of beginning the course and getting my teen set up with the learners permit was not completely straightforward, but that may have been my lack of understanding. The school does really try to make all the instructions cover details that families need to know to be successful in each step of the process. Driving school is a pretty big time commitment, as well, so temporarily your student will be very busy. My teen is definitely prepared for driving on her own in large part because of the driving school. I even had to call and speak to the staff that answer the phone whenever I had questions, and the person on the other end of the line was kind, helpful and knowledgeable—I did not have to be transferred to another, more informed person. That made a big difference, too, for me as a parent. It’s not just the student drivers who get support, but the parents, too, if they need it.
Your review is appreciated. We deeply cherish your feedback on our driving school and instructors. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Negative experience: Currently signed up and no behind the wheel driving lessons available until December. Classes for this group began at the end of September. If you want to pay this company over $700 only for you to teach your own student how to drive yourself then sign up! They sign up LOTS of students for their Zoom classes and then cannot provide driving lessons to these students until 2 months after they complete the Zoom class and tell kids to drive 2-3 hours with their parents a week during the Zoom classes and do not offer nearly enough driving classes to go along with the Zoom classes. Quite the business model to make the $. Insulting to customers and students. I suggest going to Burien or King Driving. This is unreal. Very frustrating and extremely dangerous.
Hi Kelly, We understand that you're feeling a bit frustrated with your progress so far, and we want to assure you that we're committed to helping you and your daughter achieve your driving goals. We see that you have been able to schedule all your driving lessons between October 5th and November 4th, but we want to provide some additional context to help you plan your practice time effectively. As you likely know, the state requires 50 hours of practice before obtaining a license. To ensure your daughter is well-prepared for her driving evaluation (required by the Department of Licensing) on her final driving lesson, we recommend aiming for 2-4 hours of practice between each driving lesson (not necessarily each week). This allows for consistent reinforcement and skill development. While we understand that scheduling lessons weekly might seem convenient, it's important to consider your home practice time as well. If you're able to dedicate more time to practicing at home, then weekly lessons might be a good option. However, if home practice is limited, spacing out your lessons might be more beneficial. Our goal is to help your daughter successfully complete the driving course and obtain her license.
Fantastic experience: Really good place, had a great time, and one driver named Nathan was amazing.
We're thrilled to hear you had a great time at our Defensive Driving School! Thank you for mentioning Nathan's amazing service.
Fantastic experience: Clay is da goat best teacher ever
Fantastic experience: Clay was a very good instructor who helped me very much during driver's ed! Comprehensive classes and helpful instructors
We're grateful for your positive feedback, Velcro! Clay is indeed a great instructor. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Fantastic experience: Great classes, great teachers, and great people! I learned a lot through their program and In excited to get my license soon!
We are honored to have been a part of your journey to getting your license. Thank you for your positive feedback!
Negative experience: Good experience, but I think Marty should have a little patience with those who don't speak English or try to speak it. I could see he was uncomfortable with my English even though I tried to speak it as best as I could. Marty should know that some people don't speak English well and are trying to adapt to a new country and language. He needs to understand that and have patience.
Angie, we take your feeback seriously and would like to learn more about your experience. A large percentage of our students do not speak English as a first language and any indication of frustration from one of our staff would not be a good environment for learning. I attempted to look you up in our system, but couldn't find a student matching your Google name. Would mind calling 425 643 0116 x103 so that we can learn more?
Fantastic experience: Clay is such a amazing person and has a great personality and makes me happy and entertained and makes me want to learn he is a amazing teacher I would give this guy a raise because is a super cool
We're elated to hear that Clay has made such a positive impact on your learning experience. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us!
Fantastic experience: If you're looking for a great driving school, this is the one! I trained with Nathan and Marty and they were fantastic instructors. Thanks to them, I was well-prepared for the driving test and got my license!
We are overjoyed to hear about your positive experience with our instructors, Nathan and Marty! Thank you for choosing our Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing Location. If you have any friends or family in need of driving lessons, feel free to refer them to us.
Fantastic experience: If you're looking for a driving school that prioritizes your success and truly equips you with the skills to be a safe, confident driver, look no further than Defensive Driving School. I came to this school after a truly awful experience at another school (911 Driving School UW Location) a while ago. My instructor there was really impatient and unhelpful, and I ended up failing my driving test feeling completely discouraged. Defensive Driving School was a breath of fresh air. From the very first class, my instructor Marty Ofsowitz was kind, patient, and genuinely interested in helping me succeed (a special shout-out has to go to my instructor!). He not only explained everything thoroughly, but he also shared tons of practical tips and techniques. More importantly, he helped me build confidence in my abilities behind the wheel. Thanks to Marty's guidance and the supportive environment at Defensive Driving School, I passed my driving test on the first try here! This is a far cry from my experience at 911, where I felt completely unprepared and frustrated with the negative learning experience. If you're looking for a driving school that sets you up for success, Defensive Driving School is the clear choice. Their instructors are patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely care about their students. Plus, the positive and encouraging atmosphere makes learning to drive a much more enjoyable experience. Do yourself a favor: Skip the frustration and head straight to Defensive Driving School to get your behind-the-wheel training. You won't regret it!
We greatly appreciate your positive feedback and are thrilled to hear about your successful experience at our Defensive Driving School. Thank you for choosing us and we wish you safe travels on the road! If you have any friends or family in need of driving lessons, don't hesitate to refer them to us:)
Fantastic experience: I failed the driving test the first time around due to my own testing anxiety; however, I practiced with Nathan and Marty. They truly built up my confidence when driving and I was able to pass the second time around. So grateful for the instructing team here at this branch! I feel so prepared and confident to drive safely on the road now -- all thanks to Marty and Nathan!
We're overjoyed to hear that Nathan and Marty were able to build up your confidence and help you pass your driving test. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and congratulations on sticking with your pursuit of passing the skill test after an initial setback.
Fantastic experience: Great school. I’m recommending
Thank you for sharing your positive feedback! We deeply cherish your recommendation.
Fantastic experience: They were very professional! I am telling this after they did not allow me to write my first knowledge test because I was late. The instructor was very detailed and observed every move I was making and guided me very well! I would recommend this driving school to everyone and anyone who wants to drive safe and be safe on the road!
We appreciate your positive feedback and are glad to hear that you had a great experience with our school. Thank you for recommending us to others!
Fantastic experience: My instructor Clay is amazing! He's very understanding, accommodating, and loves to make jokes and share fun facts which keep me very interested in the classes. Only downside is that i'm not the biggest fan of online classes because it's hard for me to learn that way. But that's not the schools problem so anyways i love the class!!!
We appreciate your feedback, Jesus! We're glad to hear that you enjoyed your experience with Clay. We understand that online classes may not be for everyone, but we're here to support you in any way we can. If you have any concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at (206) 525-0909.
Fantastic experience: I did both my knowledge test and my driving test through the West Seattle branch. They always responded to emails in a prompt and professional manner. Marty was great as an instructor. Everyone here is kind and respectful. Can highly recommend!! EDIT: I wanted to add that Anjah has been super helpful right from the start when I needed to schedule my knowledge test. I had a lot of questions as I'm not from the US and Anjah always responded to my multiple questions in a supportive and informative way. Thank you Anjah for your help and patience with my process.
We are thrilled to hear about your positive experience with our Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing Location in West Seattle. Thank you for recommending us and for your kind words about Marty and our team. We appreciate your feedback and are here to help with any future driving needs.
Fantastic experience: Marty O. was an excellent drive test evaluator. I have a history of pretty severe test anxiety, and had put off getting my license for years because of it. Marty was the proctor for the written exam to get my permit, and he was very professional and encouraging throughout that process. His kindness and positivity finally made me feel ready to schedule the drive test. We met at the test location, and he made sure I had ample opportunity to ask questions and bring forward any concerns before we got started. I had purchased the 30min warm up in addition to the test (which I highly recommend, it was definitely worth it to get used to the vehicle prior to testing). Marty asked me what I would like to practice, and how I would prefer to be given any feedback or tips. During the warm up he gave some helpful pointers, letting me know things to look out for or things I could be doing better. He did this with all the seriousness of someone who cares about the safety of everyone on the road, but I never felt that he was unkind. I used most of my warm up time to practice my backing around the corner maneuver a few more times before the test, and Marty really helped me by teaching me a new technique, which I'll definitely continue to use moving forward. This made me feel a lot more confident going into the actual test. After the warm up, we drove back to the parking lot area we started in to begin the test. Marty let me ask questions again before we began, and also let me know how he'd be instructing me during the test. I ended up passing! Afterward, Marty went over his scoring rubric to let me know what areas to improve on, and told me he'd send over everything to the DOL later that same day. Marty is very effective, but also very kind, which I feel was a key reason I felt calm enough to schedule and pass this test. Highly recommend scheduling your practice drives and test here.
We appreciate your detailed review and are thrilled to hear about your positive experience with Marty. Thank you for recommending our services and for choosing us to help you overcome your test anxiety. We wish you well as you continue to devolop your drivnig skills.
Fantastic experience: Great driving school! Would recommend!! Clay is a very good instructor and makes learning the material fun and interesting, especially with his real world examples and stories that helped me understand when and where I'd use the information taught. Nathan was very helpful and patient during my course drives and helped me learn the best possible way to do maneuvers and gave honest, helpful feedback and insight on my driving habits. DDS has awesome instructors!
We appreciate your feedback, Madeline! Thank you for recommending our driving school and sharing your positive experience with Clay and Nathan. We strive to provide top-notch instruction and support to all of our students. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Fantastic experience: Finally comfortable leaving a five star review now that James () is no longer employed here.
We appreciate your feedback, Jessamyn.
Fantastic experience: Highly recommend this company for getting your driver's license. Marty was super helpful during the pre-test session. He pointed out things to look out for while performing various maneuvers such as backing around the corner and parallel parking. Overall a great experience!
Thank you for your positive review, Arjun! We're glad to hear that Marty was able to provide helpful guidance during your pre-test session. We appreciate your recommendation and are thrilled you had a great experience with us.
Fantastic experience: Shout Out to Marty! Thank you, for the pleasant experience and professionalism! Highly recommend!
Greetings! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with us. We truly appreciate your kind words and recommendation. At Defensive Driving School and Driver License Testing Location, we strive to provide a pleasant and professional experience for all our customers. We are glad to hear that Marty, one of our team members, exceeded your expectations.
Fantastic experience: Marty had been a great instructor, he helped me build my confidence in driving in city traffic and in highways. Marty shared lots and lots of tips on safe driving practices, pointed out edge case scenarios and gave lots of feedback. He also prioritized the scenarios I wanted to practice, definitely recommend.
Greetings Maliha, Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience. We are thrilled to hear that Marty helped you build confidence in driving and that you found his tips on safe driving practices and feedback valuable. We appreciate your recommendation.
Positive experience: My instructor was a W
Fantastic experience: One of my best experiences with Defensive Driving School. I took up a Adult driving lesson package with Marty Ofsowitz (West Seattle) as I never drove before inspite of knowing the basics due to my road fear especially near huge vehicles and at higher speeds and I thought I would never be able to overcome it. Marty was super encouraging and helped boost my confidence while driving. All those techniques, constant instructions while I drive, constructive feedback, understanding my concerns and prioritizing safety while driving was all so worth it. I passed my test today in my first attempt and all thanks to Marty!!
We reaaly appreciate you, Sreevidhya, for taking the time to leave a review. We too love having Marty on our Staff. Thank you for choosing us for your driving lesson needs at our West Seattle location.
Fantastic experience: As an adult student, I was very uncertain of what to expect, but I needn't have worried. Marty and Japhet we excellent teachers and after completing my package of lessons, I passed the driving exam on the first try. Would recommend this school without hesitation.
Fantastic experience: This place is great. They provide everything you need to pass your test. The bundle that includes knowledge test, online course, and lessons is the perfect thing for a new driver. Marty O (West Seattle location) is an amazing teacher, I booked all my lessons with him and he took all the stress out of learning to drive. I went into the test feeling confident and more importantly ready to handle driving in a post test world by myself. If I’d know it was going to be as smooth and easy to learn as Marty & DDS made it I would have learnt to drive when I was 18 instead of 33.
Thank you, Michael, for your kind words. We're so glad you found the training and testing helpful. Thank you for choosing Defensive Driving School West Seattle for your traffic safety needs.
Positive experience: I liked the class and it’s nice to learn and Clay is a great instructor
Thank you, Jacob, for your kind words. We're glad you like the class. Thank you for choosing Defensive Driving School Seattle for your traffic safety course!
Negative experience: the $75 late cancellation fee should be reassessed given the current situation. 48 hours notice for cancellation isn’t often possible when a kid gets sick. The alternative, I guess, is to just send your sick kid to their instruction/test, but no responsible person wants to do that.
We appreciate the feedback. We regret that we have to charge this fee. Unfortunately we need to because of people abusing this and claiming illness anytime something comes up at the last minute where they wish to cancel an appointment. When given documentation from a medical provider though we do waive the fee. That said, we also understand that not all illness requires a doctor's visit. Again, we wish we didn't have to do this.
Fantastic experience: Amazing classes. Would %100 recomend. Also they should give Clay a raise.
Positive experience: I’ve had 3 different instructors from my time here. Tyson, marty, and emmanuel. All of them are very nice and supportive, but do criticize and make the experience not as good when you’re stressed. They can be very helpful, but when you are super stressed out and things start to go down, they flip a switch and all of the sudden they don’t act as nice anymore. They probably just want to make sure you’re being safe and defensive, but they need to know that we’re stressed too. Also, it’s not helpful when you’re stressed and they just make the situation worse.
Hi Charlotte, We appreciate your feedback. Congratulations on passing the course as well as your driving test on the first attempt. While we're grateful that you found our instructors nice and supportive, we're disapointed that we didn't recognize the times you felt stressed so that we could adjust the teaching and change the pace of the instruction. We wish you well on your journey to becoming a low risk driver as you continue to gain experience while improving your confidence and skills.
Fantastic experience: the teachers were wonderfully engaging, knowledgeable, and helpful when teaching me how to drive. I never had to feel too worried once i started practicing on the road.
Thank you for your kind words regarding our teachers. We are also happy to have them on our team.
Fantastic experience: I just need to said the instructor Marty help me to feel confident and prepared for the practice test, always with good humor and smiling, we can notice how he likes his job! I haved a great experience!
Thank you for your kind words. We're thankful for clients like you:)
Fantastic experience: I have to leave a review for Mr Emmanuel. He is the most amazing instructor in my driving journey in the US. The school should give him a raise. He made my drive really comfortable and is really knowledgeable. In my 30 minutes warm up before test, he gave me some really useful tips which helped me. 100% recommend this center and no one else in WA.
Paras, Thank you so much for your review. We're so happy that you found your instruction helpful. We wish you the best as you continue to gain experience driving.
Fantastic experience: I took lessons and the test at this location last year. Marty and Melkis were great instructors. Highly recommended.
Fantastic experience: The first time I took my driving test I took it at the kent location. It was a bummer of an experience. The driver was rude, didn't seem like he even wanted to be there, and acted frustrated when I asked him to repeat himself when he was still telling me specific things about the car. During my test-I made a stop a bit too quick, it wasn't even SUDDEN, just a bit too quick, but my instructor sighed loudly followed by an annoyed groan. Already feeling nervous for the driving test, feeling uncomfortable too in a car with an annoyed stranger made it awful. My second attempt at the test I took it at this location, West Seattle, and it was a complete opposite experience. My instructor, Marty, first asked me if I had any questions-which is such a simple gesture but it made me feel relieved, because yes I have questions. During my test I did make a couple mistakes, but he remained calm which helped me remain calm and focused. I'm greatful for my experience at the West Seattle location and would definitely recommend it.
Negative experience: Weirdo driving instructor. No social skills. Left my teenager crying. Hard to schedule drives--never enough time slots available for kids that go to school. Emails go unanswered.
Hi Brooke, we regret that you are unsatisfied. We're currently scheduled out around 3 weeks for afternoon time slots on weekdays. It's rare that we do not respond to e-mails within 1 business day, but sometimes e-mail can get flagged by spam filters. If, for any reason, you send an e-mail that you do not get a response, please call us. We would like to follow up with you about your driving experience to see what would have happened on the driving lesson. Please reach out to us so that we can ensure that we have the best plan going forward to ensure a productive experience.
Fantastic experience: Amazing experience from taking driving lessons all the way till the actual road test. Melkis was awesome with an attention to detail in terms of what the student should learn more to improve, being patient when it took some more time and helping understand all the things very clearly. Highly recommended!
Fantastic experience: absolutely amazing overall. the teaching was great and memorable! would recommend
Thank you for the kind words, Jolie.
Fantastic experience: i had Michelle and Whitney as my teachers and they were nice, we learned car maintences and techniques to avoid a collision before it happens.
Thank you for your kind words, Lars.
Positive experience: Update: the school called me and gave me back one class. ----------------- BAILED BY THE INSTRCTOR ON THE FIRST CLASS I got bailed by the instructor on the first class and they count that class as `no show`. I was really disappointed and reached out to their customer service in hope of getting my one class back, but they asked me to buy another half-priced class instead. What the heck? Attached are the emails: Hi, I had a driving class on West Seattle, 5:30PM May 27th. Since the appointment email told me to meet the driving coach by Bartell's parking lot, Seattle 98116, I ubered to this address and it turned out to be another Bartell also in 98116. I called at 5:20PM to the service center about this and the agent says he would tell the coach to wait for me. I immediately ubered to the correct parking lot and arrived at around 5:35PM but didn't find the coach by the parking lot. I waited until 6:10PM and saw that the class got cancelled and left. When I was waiting I tried to contact the service center again but it was past the hour, I tried to call the coach but there was no contact of him in the scheduling portal. The system now shows my class as no show and my one class was wasted. I don't think that's fair since your instruction was not clear and it was the coach not showing up. If he couldn't find me he should've call me since he have my number but I don't have his. I won't ask for the cost of Ubers that day, but please either refund the tuition for that class, or cancel the no show and recover my 5 classes. Best Regards, Noah Su ------------- Hi Noah, I'm sorry to hear about the confusion with where to go for your driving lesson a couple weeks ago. I have emailed your instructor to find out where he was. It's customary to be on the Bartell side of the parking lot near the entrance to the main building. Usually, the cars are parked in the center parking aisle near Bartells. Usually our instructors do reach out to students. I'm not sure if your phone accepts blocked calls? Most of our instructors will hide their personal cell number when reaching out to students. On our confirmation email for making appointments, it gives the following information: This is an email confirmation that you have a drive scheduled for: Thursday May 27th 2021 5:30PM Location: DDS - West Seattle Address: 4700 42nd Ave SW #500-Written test in classroom., Lessons/skills tests meet by Bartell's parking lot, Seattle, WA 98116 To reschedule or cancel an appointment, you must log into Schedule Agent or call our office 48hours beforehand (not counting weekends and holidays) to avoid being charged as if the appointment took place. It looks like you missed the address part of the notification and only saw the Bartell part at the end. As a one time courtesy, we can schedule another lesson for you at half price. Let me know if you'd like to do this or need help getting your other lessons scheduled. ---------------------- Hi, Thanks for replying. I don't think a half-price lesson is acceptable. The address in the instruction is 4700 42nd Ave SW #500, which is a room for the testing. I don't think we will have a driving a class in a room so it's reasonable to think only the latter half sentence tells the address. And not I don't have any blocking apps installed and I receive scamming calls every week. Moreover I already called the service center and got confirmed that the coach would wait for me but he didn't and didn't call. Please be responsible for all these three mistakes. If you can't recover that one class, please refund the whole package. Best Regards, Noah Su ---------------------- No response after this
Fantastic experience: Marty was exceptional, his calm demeanor helped my anxiousness, and I passed the skills test the first attempt. Very clear with instructions and expectations.
Thank you, Rick, for your kind words.
Fantastic experience: I took my driving test here, I was SO nervous. This guy named Marty administered the test and seriously he was so nice. He gave me a quick overview of the car, let me know about some stuff that might majorly differ from my car and we were on our way. He was really relaxed the whole time and just told me where to go, a very calming presence. Anyway I passed with an 86! Gave me great feedback on some spots I could improve. :D Thumbs up to Marty tho
Thank you for your kind words. We too are glad that Marty is on our team!
Fantastic experience: I had a very positive experience with the written test and the driving test. They offer a one hour driving lesson just before your driving test and I definitely recommend that option. It gave me a chance to learn the car and make sure I knew what was expected of me during the test. I had the written and driving test with Marty. During the driving lesson, he was knowledgeable and his calm demeanor helped me relax during the test.
Fantastic experience: Emmanuel great instructor. The school always helped me when I had any questions or needed something they are very flexible, the platform is easy to use and I also did my knowledge test with them.
Fantastic experience: I am an adult getting my license for the first time, and despite the added difficulties of Corona, Defensive Driving School was able to easily and simply provide what I needed every step of the way. With a single purchase I was able to schedule a knowledge test and have a driving test with a pre-test practice lesson ready to schedule after the knowledge test. When the day of my driving test came and my lack of permit meant that I couldn't drive for the pre-test lesson, Marty suggested alternative options (a lesson as a passenger and/or a retry if I failed) to try to effectively use the time and give me my money's worth. In fact, Marty was incredibly helpful, courteous, and professional in the entire process. He administered my knowledge test as well as my driving test, and he was always nothing short of clear, personable, and positive. The short pre-test lesson that he gave me before I tested was extremely helpful. He was very upfront about everything he would ask me to do on the test and how the school's Mazda 3 drove and could be optimally operated, and he offered plenty of tips on how to adequately perform specific test maneuvers, such as backing around a corner, parking on a hill, and parallel parking. I felt like I had a very good idea of the things I would be tested on and what he would be looking for. Additionally, the school's COVID procedures and precautions were excellent and much appreciated. People were spaced apart at the knowledge test, and every surface of the testing car that might be touched is sanitized meticulously by the driver before the test begins. At the test's conclusion, Marty went over each place that he made deductions and explained why he did so, which was nice. However, the only point of criticism I would make would be with regards to the hyper-specific ways in which one can lose points on the test. My issue is not with the test itself or with Defensive Driving School faithfully following that rubric but rather I just think a testing driver would stand to benefit from knowing some of the terms and specific ways they can lose points before making their attempt. For example, it would have been helpful to know what jockeying was beforehand and how I could lose two points for it. I *did* feel like I knew every maneuver I would be asked to perform, and I *did* feel like the appropriate emphasis was put on performing things safely over anything else (safety deduction are worth double the points of skill and congestion deductions, but it also would've been great to know about those three scoring categories before), it's just some of the specific deductions that can be made can be a little unclear until you've completed the test and you hear what score you got and why. I certainly would recommend Defensive Driving School due to their mostly effective online interface, invaluable phone support, and amazing instruction as exemplified by Marty.
Thank you, Dominic, for your kind words and your compliments towards Marty.
Fantastic experience: I had Emanuel and he was a great teacher
Thank you. We too think Emanuel was great!
Fantastic experience: Issac has been a great instructor, I am a beginner level driver he was very patient with me. Great experience, definitely recommend to everyone!!
Thank you, Wilsina, for your kind words.
Negative experience: Was not there at the address you took me
We regret that we did not meet your expectations. I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to as far as the wrong address. Please reach out to us at 425 643 0116 so that we can resolve your concern.
Fantastic experience: 100% recommended, I pass my driving test here hands down to my instructor MARTY, his friendly very accommodating and a great instructor!
Thank you for your kind words, Ronelyn!!! We too like Marty:)
Fantastic experience: overall an amazing experience! I’m doing Zoom sessions due to the current pandemic and they handle it very well and manage to teach the same great curriculum! Highly recommend this company for drivers ed :)
Fantastic experience: Emanuel from this location usually works here or at the U District location. I usually do not leave reviews often but I was extremely impressed by only him from this location. He needs a raise in his pay check whoever his manager is! Not only is this guy a very nice man, he also is super patient and great at teaching. Because of him, I got PERFECT parallel parking every time and he makes driving great to do. I never hit the curb, hit cars, or anything like that. In addition, he encouraged me and believed in my driving which gave me a lot of confidence to do well. Out of everyone at this location, he is the best! Look and book him.
Thank you, Connie, for your kind words regarding Emanuel. We too think he is great.
Fantastic experience: Went here for my driving test, it went phenomenal. Marty was my instructor. Very kind, informative and helpful. Definitely recommend this location!
We too agree that Marty is phenomenal. Thank you for your review.
Fantastic experience: solid. 10/10. after a week and a half i passed with a 36/40 on the knowledge mid term while taking the class.
Fantastic experience: Marty is a very good instructor and a great teacher in zoom classes really helpful when you have questions
Thank you, Ricardo. We also think Marty is a great instructor!
Fantastic experience: I highly recommend this driving school. They are incredible people, super patient and helpful. I took my knowledge and skills test and passed both. My instructor Martin is very nice, attentive and calms us down. The price is also very affordable, so it's worth it.
Thank you for your kind words, Priscilla!
Fantastic experience: I had a fantastic experience taking my road test here! I had a 1-hour warm-up lesson, and my instructor (Marty) was very helpful - not only in effectively communicating what would be expected of my on the upcoming skills test, but also at helping ease my anxiety as he calmly guided me through the entire process! Would definitely recommend
Thank you, JM, for your kind words. We're glad you found Marty helpful.
Fantastic experience: Excellent teaching, deep was amazing I am a way more confident in my driving now.
Thank you for your kind words, Jimmy!
Fantastic experience: I learned how to parallel park and how to back around a corner and I learned it all in less then 10 minutes! Deep made a confident driver behind the wheel:)
Fantastic experience: The Defensive Driving School has some of the most experienced driving instructors. At the time of starting these driving lessons, I had a little bit of driving experience, but from a country that drives on the other side of the road, which in some ways, unfortunately set me back on US roads, even more than not having any experience. But my driving instructor helped me draw the rules of the US road into my instinct, and then, went further to help me learn several tips and tricks to drive defensively. I feel it is this Defensive driving technique, that would help me keep my family, others on the road and myself safe on the road. Whats more, he helped me do it in just 5 hours and was patient and generally amicable through the whole process. I would highly recommend getting driving lessons from this school. If possible, ask for "Marty", but they are all very good!
Thank you, Sharad, for your kind words.
Fantastic experience: Deep was a great teacher, especially with parallel parking and backing maneuvers. Very helpful and I picked it up really quickly
Fantastic experience: Did two drives with Deep and he helped me a lot with my parking maneuvers and I was nervous and helped me out with it and did my final drive with him and I passed after he gave me a refresher.
Fantastic experience: Marty took his time on a saturday teaching us defensive driving.
Fantastic experience: I took both the knowledge and skill test in DDS. Both was smooth. They were taking necessary precautions for Covid-19. Marty was especially good and helpful while explaining the process.
Fantastic experience: Did my lesson with Marty. He was super professional and patient and gave me very good tips for safe driving. With his help I feel very comfortable and confident. Scheduling system also very organized and easy.
Fantastic experience: Very good I learned a lot and passed my drivers test with deep
Fantastic experience: Had a very good instructor who was very helpful. Deeps method on how to parallel park is very effective and helpful.
Thank you for your kind words, Sylvia!
Fantastic experience: I had my first drive with Deep Duklo today and towards the middle of the lesson he prepared me for level two of driving by teaching me an amazing technique for backing around a corner and parallel parking.
Thank you, Bayley, for your kind words. We wish you well on your path to becoming a skilled driver.
Fantastic experience: I have Deep as my driving instructor and Marty as my teacher. Deep did a really good job at teaching me how to back around a corner and parallel parking - something I had never done before until this class. He taught me in less than 15 minutes and made the whole process really easy for me to understand. Marty is a great teacher, he makes new drivers feel comfortable with being out in the road and is very understanding and teaches with a strong passion for driving. Highly recommend.
Thank you, Taylor. We're so glad that your experience was positive.
Fantastic experience: I had a very good experience with my drive, I learned more in one drive than I did in all the other combined with Deep. He taught a simpler version of parking and backing around a corner. Overall good!
Fantastic experience: I had Deep for my drives and he is a very good instructor. He has lots of very helpful tips and tricks to make thing like parallel parking and backing around a corner easier than they seem at first. I had Marty for the classroom instruction and he covers everything you need to know in a positive and helpful environment. Overall it’s a really great experience!
Negative experience: Bought a 12 hour package and had most of my driving lessons with Deep. He was extremely unprofessional, customarily 5-15 minutes late for our scheduled drives, often on his phone, and generally far less involved. I've had a few lessons with the other drivers -James, Marty, Jeremiah- and they were all great, very attentive, constantly giving me feedback and tips. Unfortunately the schedule is almost always booked a month in advance, so if you work a regular 9-5 it's hard to get lessons scheduled with other drivers outside of business hours or on weekends, so the only one available was Deep and I had to finish my drives with him. My last drive with Deep : we started 15 minutes late, car ran out of gas during our drive so he had me pull into a gas station to fill up. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal, so I waited while he went inside to pay up. 10 minutes pass by and he comes out with a sandwich and drink!! by this time the drive is almost over, we pull into the parking lot and I don't pull in to park straight. I offer to correct, he says we don't have time. He then had the nerve to ask me if I left a positive review for him, I said I didn't, he says he can show me how and takes my phone OUT OF MY HAND to write a review for himself on my phone. UNREAL. I felt extremely uncomfortable as a woman alone in a parking lot with some guy with my phone taken. I think if he wants a good review he should act more professional and just do his job. I can't recommend this school, simply because they don't have enough good drivers available to accommodate the schedule of someone that works a normal full-time job.
Fantastic experience: I had deep as my driving instructor and I learned a lot of things and I highly recommend him
Fantastic experience: learned how to parallel park in 5 mins on the first drive. Deep’s an excellent instructor.
Fantastic experience: I learned how to parallel park and back around the corner with Deep and scanning intersection ahead of time which made me so confident as a new driver
Fantastic experience: I had an awesome experience with Deep Impact when I was experiencing my Parallel parking in 5 minutes with a simple but amazing technic then BAC in yet again 5 minutes Deep is the OG - Steven
Fantastic experience: I took lessons with Deep and it was a great experience. I learned how to do parallel parking and backing around the corner in less than 10 minutes. He gives great feedback and pays attention to even the smallest details. Highly recommended
Fantastic experience: Deep was my instructor for my second drive and I learned how to parallel park, back around a corner, and park on a hill in 10 minutes.
Fantastic experience: Marty has made my learning experience absolutely incredible 10/10 recommend
Fantastic experience: Deep is a fabulous instructor! He taught me a foolproof way to parallel park in a single lesson.
Fantastic experience: I had deep as my driving instructor I did my final drive with him and I passed
Fantastic experience: It was my first time driving in the city and Deep was great! I learned a lot of things on my first drive, including parallel parking!
Fantastic experience: Had deep duglo as an instructor, I learned backing around a corner and parallel parking in Less than 10 minutes, now I’m confident as ever in my driving.
Fantastic experience: I had Deep as my instructor and he taught me a lot! Before I started my drives, I had barely practiced driving and had no idea how to parallel park or back around a corner. After 10 minutes learning those skills, it is so much easier for me! Highly recommend!
Fantastic experience: It was a good experience with Deep and he improved my parallel and backing maneuver a lot that made me so confident now. My in class teacher Marty was also good in explaining rules of driving.
Fantastic experience: Deep was a great instructor. Learned parallel parking and backing around the corner in 15 minutes.
Fantastic experience: My instructor was Deep and he was a great instructor! He taught me how to parallel park extremely well and was overall a great teacher.
Fantastic experience: I had Deep for my final drive today. I learned parallel parking, backing around a corner, and parking on a hill in under 10 minutes.
Fantastic experience: fourth drive today, first time on highway with Deep. We did lane changing which made me confident, and on the way back we reviewed parallel parking and backing around the corner which i learned in ten minutes.
Fantastic experience: I heard that the highway experience would be harder and deep was very supportive and made me less nervous and helped a lot with parking skills
Fantastic experience: I had deep impact as my instructor in car and he was amazing when it comes to parking skills. Marty was a great teacher in class as well learned lots of things during the session
Fantastic experience: Deep was a great teacher, I felt reasured and learned very quickly. Marty is an excellent teacher as well!
Fantastic experience: Deep really helped my master the art of backing around a corner and parallel parking in under 5 min. I learned a lot today and am happy with my new learned skills.
Fantastic experience: I had Deep today for my first drive. I learned a lot of things and it was very helpful.
Fantastic experience: Deep is the best. Gave me good advice on what car to buy and how to parallel park!!
Fantastic experience: I had Marty for my in class and deep for the incar part and both of them are really good for showing how to be a defensive driver and would highly recommend them to anyone
Fantastic experience: Deep was my driving instructor today and he taught me how to back around a corner and parallel park in a very unique way that was much easier for me! He was very helpful when I was struggling and I highly recommend him!
Fantastic experience: I learned some great new tricks for parallel parking and backing around a corner from deep. Marty is also the absolute best instructor out there! His humor is impeccable and incermenciply placed in content would definitely recommend
Thank you, Gus. We appreciate your kind words. We too think Marty and Deep are excellent instructors.
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