Defensive Driving School of Mercer Island

Fantastic experience: Jason was an AMAZING instructor. I had been bracing for a boring, bureaucratic sort of curriculum, but, by the second session, Jason had me looking forward to class all week. The staff are happy to answer questions, and are genuinely interested & invested in making their students excellent, safe, defensive drivers. I already have (and will continue) to recommend this course to friends looking for a great place to become confident, safe drivers. Thank you!

Fantastic experience: Jason is the best drivers ed instructor! I hate Tyler though (Never met Tyler).

Fantastic experience: Great location! Great instructors!

Fantastic experience: Jason was so much fun!! I looked forward to the classes every week and I loved that Jason gave us mics!! I wasn't sure going into my first classroom session that first day because of things that other people have said about their experiences and instructors but from the first day, I knew it was going to be a fun group. Thanks Jason and DDS for helping me and tons of other students great and safe drivers!!

Fantastic experience: My instructor Clay made zoom engaging and fun :)

Fantastic experience: For the online course, my instructor was Jason and he made the class very fun and engaging

Fantastic experience: Three of my daughters went through the Defensive Driving School on Mercer Island. We were very happy with the school and caliber of the instructors, particularly Walter. He was patient, kind and diligent with instructions.

Fantastic experience: Great experience

Positive experience: the class was great but the drives are very stressful only because of the way they teach being extremely critical

Negative experience: Some of the most uninspired and insufferable teachers I have ever had the misfortune to deal with, however, I am here to rep my homie Vincent, he's a real one.

Fantastic experience: Defensive Driving School was great - thorough information and education that was appropriate for my kiddo. Steve was our only driver instructor and he was OUT OF THIS WORD...so patient, reassuring, good-humored...he made the learning how to actually get behind the wheel less scary and more managable. THANK YOU

Fantastic experience: Took a minute but we finished with amazing shoulder lane assistance!

Fantastic experience: taking drivers ed with Clay. he’s cool, teaches really well & makes learning entertaining. Clay is a winner

Positive experience: I learnt a lot and feel very comfortable driving now that i have completed the course. However some of the videos, stories and simulations that are apart of the curriculum can be so violent that they often brought me very intense anxiety and stress to the point of wanting to quit.

Fantastic experience: dub place, easy classes as long as you pay attention, driving instructor was the best (give willow a raise)

Fantastic experience: Excellent school. All staff were dedicated and helpful. Thank you.

Fantastic experience: My teen now knows more about driving than me. This was an extremely thorough experience. I feel very confident in his skills.

Fantastic experience: Jason kept doing backflips and parkour on camera. Would give six stars if I could.

Fantastic experience: One class with Willow Moon changed my life. She is truly the best. She taught me basics of driving so well in one class that I went back and started driving with my learners license on small roads just to finish the homework she gave me. But I never stopped driving after that. She taught me about the practical aspects for driving like space around the car, how to focus on my driving path etc so well that made me lose my irrational fears about driving. I am so glad i chose her randomly. Strongly recommend her if you are looking to ace driving with ease. I later on took another class with her to better prepare for my skills test and of course that was awesome too. Have my driving test today! Hope I get it.

Fantastic experience: My daughter had very good experience at MI Defensive Driving School. They have high qualification and experienced instructors. I definitely recommend to others . Thank you for your help and support!

Fantastic experience: While I don’t condone the privatized mess of a DMV system in WA, this facility met my needs perfectly. My instructor Willow is highly experienced and a really good teacher.

Fantastic experience: Clay was a great teacher he kept classes super engaging and always fun. He also had discipline tjo. When people got unfocused or used chat in the wrong ways he got them to stop or closed chat so we’d focus. It’s a long class but he made it go by fast. Loved his stories! I haven’t had in person drives yet but I’m hoping those will also go well:)

Fantastic experience: Kizeni is the best instructor! I was so nervous and scared of driving but she is always patient and encouraging. She gave me all the confidence and also taught proper approach about driving. I’m so thankful I have her as my instructor

Negative experience: Tina is a really bad teacher.

Negative experience: This place is a scam, been driving for more than 10 years and needed a license from washington. Took driving test twice and was failed with the main feedback to taking their courses. its unjust to offer $90 driving test just to force people to take their driving school.

Fantastic experience: Before starting my driving classes I was very anxious and nervous to drive. My driver instructor Willow was able to guide and teach me on how to become a safe driver through clear and calm instructions. With each lessons and a lot of practice I was able to build my confidence and pass the skills test. I am very thankful for all the lessons I had with Willow. I also want to thank Tina who stepped in towards the end of my training! Tina was very supportive and helped me continue to build my confidence! Thank you to you both! I highly recommend Defensive Driving School for both adults and students, it was a great experience!

Fantastic experience: Great location.

Negative experience: We just went to this place in Mercer Island to ask for more information. Looks like no one was there but there were no sign that it was closed, we knocked and suddenly a woman with a real bad attitude came from behind us and told us that they hate when people knock on the window?! What! The whole front door is made of glass She never asked us if we need something or if we were looking for some one. She just told us to wait on the bench until someone arrived back from their drive. Such bad costumer service. ☹️ You better believe I will never be coming back!

Fantastic experience: The instructors were all extremely kind and I really appreciate their help! Can definitely recommend this place. No complaints!

Fantastic experience: Mike Riendeau and Chao Huang are both amazing instructors

Fantastic experience: Michelle was an amazing teacher and I'm glad to have taken a course with her.

Fantastic experience: I had fun learning with ms. Willow, she mold me how to become a safer and better driver., she approached mistakes in a well mannered way..i never drive car before i took the classes at dds i was so nervous but the instructors really helps me to boost my confident on the road, i appreciate all the patience that they have ., (Chow and ms willow ) my husband noticed all the changes on my driving skills after the classes i would say i invested a really good school for my safety!!!

Fantastic experience: When I first started driving I barely knew what I was doing. I was very insecure and nervous, and I never thought I was going to get better. Willow, one of the driving instructors at this location, helped me learn everything - from basics to advanced which helped me with the skills test. Willow cares about her students, she bonds with them and makes them feel safe and comfortable while still maintaining a very professional relationship. Today I am very comfortable driving, I received all the knowledge and guidance I need to be able to drive safely. I can't believe how only 12 lessons with Willow turned me from a very scared student to a very confident driver. I would highly highly recommend Willow as a driving instructor.

Fantastic experience: Got a lot of info, the course was easy to understand and the work wasn’t overwhelming!

Positive experience: It was fun very nice people W

Fantastic experience: The instructor/s mostly Willow has clear guidance and communication skills during behind the wheel sessions. In a respectful and patient way, she points out my mistakes while driving and educated me to improve. I had called their office phone and it is always attended in a timely manner. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Quality driver's ed experience, the classroom time was fun and informative, even despite zoom's restrictions, and the driving instructors were very patient and helpful during the drives. I have my license now and for that I thank Defensive Driving School.

Negative experience: Has yet to respond to a single one of my several. emails

Fantastic experience: Had a great experience, even with online learning during COVID. Kyle and Willow were especially friendly, constructive, and helpful. If you pay attention and take the classes seriously, you'll have no problem with the tests, both driving and physical. This is a great school, and I would highly recommend it!

Fantastic experience: They were great. Nice, friendly instructors.

Fantastic experience: After several conversations and such, everything turned out great at the end, the owner really fixed everything, thank you!

Negative experience: DO NOT GO HERE. Very unprofessional and RUDE.

Fantastic experience: The owner JC is professional, understanding and with great work values. If there's any issues he's ready to help!

Fantastic experience: I ammended my review because I have to recommend this location. The owner himself went above and beyond to address our issues. Don't do like me and leave a review before contacting them.

Fantastic experience: A fantastic Driving School. Extremely happy with their instruction in class and in the car. A big shout out to Michelle Feil, German Yuen and Willow. They really hammered home the rules and the responsibility of driving safely! Would highly recommend this school for all new drivers.

Fantastic experience: Great instructors - I did my classes with German and Michelle - most with German. I had also sought for classes on the freeway. German had the unique ability to understand why I was making the mistakes I was making. And he helped me understand in a visual way how to go about correcting my way of driving. Thank you Michelle and German for getting me to learn driving the right way.

Fantastic experience: Having a driving school that is local and convenient is very beneficial! The instructors are very well informed and seem passionate about their job.

Positive experience: Classes aren’t boring and the instructors are nice.

Fantastic experience: The teachers at Defensive are so patient and well-spoken that they make learning to drive a fun and entirely stress-free experience.

Fantastic experience: Great class, the teacher is very nice

Fantastic experience: My instructor, Mrs Welch, not only taught me how to drive safely and responsively, but was extremely kind along the way. Through lots of amazing constructive criticism, she explained what I needed to improve upon in order to successfully succeed in driving. She additionally taught me in the classroom. Her bubbly personality always brightened my (and my classmates) mornings. Instead of it being lecture upon lecture of boring garble, she managed to make lessons interactive and fun. She honestly was one of the best teachers I have ever had in any class. Thanks Mrs Welch!!!

Negative experience: Willow has a broken branch and I have had 5 different instructions

Fantastic experience: German was a great instructor and helped me a'lot with my class driving test. The education was also very good. I would definitely recommend.

Fantastic experience: The class wasn’t boring and teachers were really nice. Especially, German was very nice. I really enjoyed it.

Fantastic experience: I myself was a student here, I had German as a driving instructor. He was really great at explaining what I needed to do and he really made me a better driver.

Negative experience: I had to take the test as an adult in order to get a new driver's license. I was assigned to Michelle for the driving test. From the moment I walked in for the appointment, she was passive aggressive and unfriendly. She told me that because of my name change due to marriage the DMV probably wouldn't accept the results of my test but I couldn't re-schedule. Note that I had previously called the DMV to ask about my name change and they told me just to bring in marriage certificate when I cam in for the license. We started the test and she seemed determine to find flaws with my driving. She actually chastised me during the test "for braking too suddenly." She spoke to me like a deliquent high school student, not a competent adult driver. She clearly likes telling people what to do and that may fly in the classroom, but not in the real world. One of the most unpleasant interactions I've every experienced. The only reason I gave them 2 stars is because the owner of the company is very nice and followed up me directly after I called to voice my concerns. I re-took the test at the Kirkland location. They were much nicer.

Fantastic experience: Michelle and German are amazing teachers!!! I feel like a learned so much taking this class and everyone was were so nice! :D

Fantastic experience: My experience at Defensive Driving School was definitely worth my while to maybe get the odds back on my side for safe driving. Take a month long class with Michele or German and you’ll be on the road before you know it!

Fantastic experience: The course was only a month long and the classes were easy attend and fun to listen to. a break was provided every single class to get up and stretch your legs or go to the local rite aid to eat some tasty candy. The driving instructors, Michelle and German were very supportive and fun to drive with on all of my drives.

Fantastic experience: Michelle is a great instructor. All instructors at defensive are very nice and helpful. I loved my experience, Michelle is very informative but also keeps the class engaged!

Fantastic experience: I'm very confident in my son as a driver after sending him here, he was able to pass his tests first try and I'm glad i made the right choice.

Fantastic experience: I did my driving test here with Michelle. She is a wonderful person. Her instructions were very clear. During the warm up session, her tips were very helpful. This made the driving test to be straight forward.

Fantastic experience: My instructor was very informative and made learning both entertaining and fun. I enjoyed my class work load and activities.

Fantastic experience: This is a p good place.

Negative experience: Took my test here with a middle aged female instructor here. She was late and incredibly rude to me - judging from the other reviews, think part of the reason may have been I wasn't a student of hers. She spoke to me as though she would rather have done anything else than administered my test. Would not come again it was the worst experience with a driving school I've ever had in my life.

Fantastic experience: This place is great! Great environment to learn in. The teachers are very nice and make things easy and enjoyable to learn, even if you don't know all the teachers they become friends immediately. If you need to take driving school or are thinly about it. Do defensive driving. You'll learn new thing everyday, even my parents learned a few things!

Fantastic experience: Great teachers, class was fun, and I learned a lot :D

Fantastic experience: Was an absolute joy to learn driving at. Michelle is a wonderful teacher and she made everything easy to understand. The cheap power points were appreciated.

Fantastic experience: I took classes mainly with German and I can tell he is a great teacher! He helpfully points out all the ways to improve. He is very patient and helps you practice until perfection. He is very efficient, uses every minute, and is always on time. He is a natural teacher, pays such close attention, and always knows what to say, when and how. Even though I have driven before, I learned so much more from him. I also had one class with Valerie who is also very good. She has lots of helpful tips. She explains things very clearly.

Fantastic experience: Love it here! The instructors are great and do a great job of showing you how to drive but not make it scary.

Fantastic experience: German and Michele are great instructors who always corrected my mistakes and my experience here was absolutely fantastic.

Fantastic experience: My daughter (19 yo) took 5 classes with German and Michelle at the Mercer Island location. They are excellent teachers — calm, clear, positive, specific feedback and tips. Location is great for student drivers, too. I strongly recommend this school.

Fantastic experience: Great instructors, kind people, 10/10 for Michelle and German

Fantastic experience: Michelle was the best!!!

Fantastic experience: Michelle was very knowledgeable and kind! I feel very prepared to take my drivers test after the last few weeks.

Fantastic experience: The course is very thorough and understandable and the instructors are super patient and understanding!

Fantastic experience: The teachers are great- Michelle is my fav- 10/10 recommend

Fantastic experience: I had a great time learning to drive.

Fantastic experience: cool

Fantastic experience: dank

Fantastic experience: Dank

Fantastic experience: They told us we'd get free pizza if our class gave ten reviews, and the class was fun, so here is my review for pizza

Positive experience: Great class

Fantastic experience: Wonderful teachers who care for their students. Good learning and expierences.

Fantastic experience: Michelle is the best and makes lessons interesting. 15 lessons can seem like a lot but time flies! Def would recommend!

Fantastic experience: Super fun learning experience

Fantastic experience: 10/10 would recommend. Michelle is a homie and Germans nicest dude around. Both are very smart and knowledgeable individuals. Meme appreciaters will love this class

Fantastic experience: Michelle is a knowledgeable instructor.

Fantastic experience: Great teaching, I usually have trouble concentrating but I know what's going all the time.

Fantastic experience: Great content and had a good teacher! Fun but serious matters.

Fantastic experience: It's pretty fun, there isn't too much work, and if you pay attention you'll be fine

Positive experience: Teachers are incredibly polite and patient. Highly recommend for all teens looking for a drivers ed program.

Fantastic experience: I had German Yuen for two of my drives, one of them being the test and I really liked him as my instructor. Every time I did something wrong he would explain me how to do it right and made me do it again. That really helped me to learn more skills. I really recommend Defensive driving to anyone who wants to get a liscence.

Fantastic experience: Good information!

Negative experience: I am an avid review reader BEFORE I go anywhere. This is the review that I wish I had before choosing Defensive Driving School (I will refer to them as DDS). First of all, dealing with driving schools and DMVs is always frustrating. But my frustrating experience was increased 10 fold by choosing to go through DDS. I took a driving test with an instructor who didn't speak English that I could properly understand. While telling me to do things I felt like I was playing the guessing game trying to figure out what exactly he wanted of me. Then by the end of the test he said I failed! I asked what the reasons were and there were a few things he completely made up! He said I cut into other lanes while turning, he said that I was past the safe line at a light, he said I didn't look in my blind spots or signal! Which is all a bunch of bull! I have been driving for over 10 years and my license from out of state just expired a few weeks prior to going to the DMV so they said I had to take the knowledge and skills test (which I was really frustrated about!)..how IN THE WORLD could I fail a driving test??!?!? Well after getting home from the test I called and expressed my unfair scoring and frustrations and the person told me that there was nothing he could do. I asked him then another time, what my other options are and he said nothing, sorry ma'am. So here I am, already having paid $30 for the knowledge test and $50 for the driving test which I failed, and forced to pay $50 for ANOTHER driving test (which who knows if I would pass, because clearly the company is hurting for money, if they think they need to unfairly fail great, experienced drivers.) Super annoyed, my husband called and found that he can talk to someone higher up, which she told him to have me write an email and explain my side of the scoring/driving test and she would reply within an hour...was that special 1 hour promise fulfilled? NOPE. Then, when I went to dispute it (because the scoring was totally bogus and unfair) via email, the lady responded to me 3 days later and said sorry, the instructors comments are below. Nothing we can do, good luck with your next test! Well what was in the that same instructor's comments "below"...a bunch of lies! He lied to the supervisor and said I had agreed with all the mistakes he said I made, at the end of my test! He also changed what he said he docked points off for. All of a sudden it wasn't the same thing he had told me at the end of my driving test. So now we're dealing with my word against his, which always makes the customer the loser in the end. This company has had problems in the past and has also received fines from the Washington Department of Licensing. Beware of this sketchy company! They have horrible customer service and are out there to make money and rip you off, and fail you ;) Also, there's a bunch of other driving companies you can go through that will charge you WAY less than these fools are charging. Do your research and DO NOT go to DDS.

Fantastic experience: MI three great teachers, one was fantastic, I'm typing this under duress. They paid me 38 cents to say this. -Josh Chansky

Fantastic experience: Very happy with defensive. Great instructors and good people.

Fantastic experience: thinks for driving school, I learn how to drive