I took my drivers class with Safestway Driving School in 1977 in Walnut Creek / Pleasant Hill. It has been a minute I remember the class and the first time behind the wheel with someone other than my parents. It was a great experience. It has made me a confident driver my entire driving life. I have definitely driven over a million miles and would trust Safestway with my grandchildren. There are always reviews only giving 4 stars, as they believe nobody deserves 5, then the ones who are never happy. They get 5 stars from me, even if it has been nearly 50 years. Mike G. read more

I highly recommend Safestway Driving School, and especially their instructor, Lisa. For our first born, we chose Safestway Driving School back in 2016, and the experience was excellent -- we truly felt we made the right decision. So for our youngest this 2026, we didn't think twice about enrolling her in Safestway as well. On her first day, she had Lisa as her instructor. Our daughter immediately felt comfortable, as Lisa was patient, reassuring, and provided clear, relevant instructions that she could confidently execute behind the wheel. Our daughter had bonded well with her on the first day. For her next two classes, we specifically requested Lisa -- even if it meant waiting a few more weeks due to her fully booked schedule -- because our daughter genuinely learned well under her guidance. My daughter's behind the wheel test with DMV is in two weeks after her last class, and she got her DL on the first take. read more

Great school! My son's instructor Bob is a 5 star top-notch instructor. Always on time, very professional, so informative, patient, kind, and easy to talk with no matter how many questions this Mom had regarding her son's behind the wheel training. Thank you to the driving school and a very special thank you to Bob for preparing our son for his driving journey. God bless. read more

This driving school never respond to emails, inquiries . I'd recommend looking for a different driving school instead of using this company. Their lack of communication is very unprofessional. read more

Bob is an amazing instructor for teens! He is very patient and has made my son's driving lessons fun and helpful! Definitely recommend!

Lisa was terrible. She is not professional at all. My daughter came home sobbing from frustration and not being heard. My daughter had told Lisa she wanted to go back to practice in our neighborhood because they were around a school area and school was about to get out.Lisa then rolled her eyes and went, "Oh my god." She claimed that my daughter needed to learn this anyways (which is true), but my daughter felt uncomfortable because she's new to driving. Lisa kept trying to push her to drive in the area, but my daughter had told her that she wasn't listening/understanding that she was uncomfortable, and Lisa then claimed that my daughter wasn't listening to her. My daughter even pointed out that Lisa had said her turns aren't great, so why should she be driving in a school area with students getting out if she's not ready? Lisa then called her manager and told her that my daughter wanted to end her session early and wasn't listening to her and was "shutting down on her." At first, my daughter didn't even want to end her lesson early; she just wanted to continue practicing in our neighborhood. But after that, she didn't want to deal with Lisa's behavior. Even during the session before Lisa's tantrum, my daughter claimed that Lisa was belittling the way she drives. Lisa said my daughter was shaking the whole car and wobbling and even told my daughter to go into the passenger seat so she could demonstrate and extremely then she proceeded to exaggerate how she was driving. Like I stated before, my daughter is new to driving; she's not going to be perfect; that's the whole point of having a driving instructor. I talked to the owner, and he said that maybe the conflict happened because she's going to graduate soon? Unbelievable. Had absolutely nothing to do with the lesson. He immediately took Lisa's side and didn't try to consider my daughter's feelings; he just made something up. Also, there's a review from someone claiming that Lisa was being racist, yet she's still with this company? We are people of color, so maybe that has something to do with this behavior of hers. This company is extremely unprofessional, and I would not recommend it to anyone. However, if you do stick with this company, I would recommend Andy. My daughter had her first session with him. Very sweet, has patience (unlike someone), and is understanding. read more

Very responsive, knowledgeable and professional. Well recommend the over and over again

The driving lessons are helpful and thorough. Bob was a great instructor who was super chill, and made the experience easier. Definitely recommend this for new drivers/teen drivers. read more

Bob is the nicest driving instructor ever!!! He is so kind and patient, it's more like being with a good friend who is helping you learn; when I was young and learning to drive, my ibstructirwas terrifying so this was just such a nice relief!!. Me and my soon to be young drover Carson are eternally grateful to you, Bob!! Thanks Safestway fot making this so easy - highky recommend read more

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Lisa at Safestway Driving was amazing! She helped my second son pass his driving test, and we couldn't be more grateful. Patient, encouraging, and very effective. Highly recommend her! read more

So far my daughter had 2 lessons and we are happy with their services . Our driving instructor , Lisa, helped our daughter feel comfortable at the wheel , gave her tips and pointers . Took her on the freeway on the first day , which she only does if she feels that you are ready. Throughout the drive she talked to my daughter gave her simple instructions just as they would in the actual test . Good preparation and driving lesson . Will schedule with them for 2 more lessons before taking the actual test. read more

Brent and Tyra are fantastic to work with and it is an amazing reputable company. They go above and beyond with service. I highly recommend them ! ~ Shanena Gunn Real Estate Team -Gavin Gunn read more

Safestway Driving School - Consumer - Driving Schools Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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If you're looking for a patient, professional, and all-around amazing driving instructor, look no further than Lisa at Safestway Driving School! My son went into his first lesson feeling nervous and unsure, but Lisa immediately put him at ease. Her calm demeanor, clear instructions, and positive attitude made every session something he actually looked forward to. What really stood out was her ability to break things down in a way that made sense. Whether it was parallel parking, merging on the highway, or navigating busy intersections, she made every step feel manageable. She never rushed him, always gave constructive feedback, and celebrated his progress along the way. Thanks to Lisa, my son passed his driving test today! If you're a new driver or just need a confidence boost behind the wheel, I can't recommend Lisa enough. Truly one of the best decisions I've made for choosing Lisa at Safestway Driving School! read more

My daughter has had her 1st driving session with Steve, what a great guy! I was a bit shocked at him being a bit older but he really knows his stuff. I've very happy with the level of service we've received so far from Safestway Driving School! read more

I took a lesson as an adult from Brent before I got my license, he was very calm and informative. The whole experience was wonderful, and less than a week later I got my license in Vallejo with a perfect score! I highly recommend taking a lesson from this company. read more

May 20th 2025 was the day that I came across the best driving school and driving extractor Miss Lisa the school is very much recommended. I miss Lisa is the best driving instructor anyone can have. I appreciate the opportunity today May 28th 2025. I passed my drivers test and I am very much appreciative of the help in a support coming from this driving school. I would recommend anyone and everyone that needs help with driving before your DMV Test. Go here and go talk to Miss Lisa you won't regret it. read more

Had several lessons with an amazing instructor named Bob, super helpful and informative let me know every tip he had for driving and for the road super chill and friendly. Wouldn't mind driving with him for hours on end. read more

My son took driving lessons from this school and Bob was instructor. Great teacher for my son. Recommended Bob to a circle of parents from Northgate High. Thank you Bob!! read more

I just had all 3 lessons done with Safestway! My first lesson with Andy was great and he was very informative and calm. My next two lessons with Bob were amazing. He was very calm and intelligent and was extremely helpful with teaching important rules and basics required for the Driving test. Definitely recommend Safestway (with Bob or Andy)! read more

I'm back for another review. I used this school for my older daughter and had a great experience. So when my younger daughter got her permit, naturally I came back. Honestly if it were not for Teresa, I would be giving this school a 1 star rating for my daughter Arianna's experience. When I first schedule my daughter's lesson Teresa wasn't available. I went with whoever was available and was not happy. I don't even remember his name but he told me to go ahead and try to schedule Teresa for the next lesson. When I tried, she still was booked so I went with Lisa. I had read good things about her but the lesson did not go well and Lisa also told me to try to book Teresa. I thought what is going on??? Shouldn't any instructor be able to teach a student who has never been behind the wheel? They shouldn't be pushing students off on others, basically giving up on them. I made sure to call a month in advance so I can get Teresa. I even booked an extra appointment before my daughter's drive test just so she can have consistent instruction from the same teacher (aside from me and her dad). Anyway I am happy to say that my daughter passed her behind the wheel test on the first try. Teresa is a true gem of this school. She is PATIENT, knowledgeable, takes lots of notes that she shares, gives good advice on anything my daughter may have struggled on and she didn't give up on my daughter. I wouldn't even go to this school if I can't get Teresa to do lessons for my family. THANK YOU TERESA FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO YOUR STUDENTS!!!! I also would like to add that the scheduler whenever I called to make appointments is also very pleasant and a very nice young man. read more

Safestway Driving School - Driving Schools Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Beyond 5 stars. First of all, I just want to thank Lynn and Lisa for being AMAZING women!! Lynn made me feel so comfortable during my one and only 2hr session with her. Lisa on the other hand just came to dmv so I could use their car for my road test. She had me drive around the dmv and gave me some of her wisdom lol. She was awesome for that, but that wasnt the best part, she sat with me while we waited a good 30 minutes to even start the road test and made me feel relaxed and comfortable as I waited. This driving school has hired caring and knowledgeable employees and the instructors show up on time which google reviews have said they dont BUT they do. I will be recommending this driving school to any and everyone. Thank you again safestway for making this nerve racking dmv experience stress-free for me. Lynn and Lisa are AMAZING women once again. read more

I learned to drive with Safestway in the 90's and now my two oldest children have done the same! We've had great experiences and both kids aced their driving tests on the first try. Lisa was calm and patient and incredibly knowledgeable. Highly recommend! read more

Bob took me on my driving lessons, not only does he have a sick name but he was an amazing teacher. Thanks for the very fun and informational driving lessons Bob! read more

Great experience with Bob he helped me with all questions I had, and made it easy to understand what to correct. -Drew read more

I had Bob MccCarty for my driving lessons and I couldn't be more satisfied with it. He was an amazing instructor and I felt very safe with him and in his car. He also was able to give me great tips for my driving exam that I would never have thought of. His stories are also the best and it's never boring. I would highly recommend this program and especially Bob!! read more

Brent was amazing! He taught my daughter with only three lessons and no other practice and she passed her test! I 100% recommend Safestway driving and ask for Brent. read more

I had Bob and he was the best instructor. Very patient and a great explainer. He taught me many new tips to be a great driver and was a great person to talk to. I could not ask for a better driving instructor!! read more

I had a great teacher, Bob, that really helped with gaining confidence while highway driving, merging, changing lanes, safe driving techniques and more. I would definitely recommend taking lessons from Safestway. read more

$600 for BS. Find a new school. They basically gave my child 3 different instructors with no organization whatsoever. The third one, Steve, pretty much drove the whole time as he reached over and practically steered the car from the front passenger side the whole 2 hours. Just basically killed 2 hours instructing my child when to use the gas pedal as he controlled the stopping with his own brakes on his side. Try to find another driving school. read more

instructor Bob was really awesome. Super nice and taught everything you need to learn. Overall really good experience and learned a lot.

I want to Thank Instructor Sasha and Andy for helping me overcome my driving issues and help me pass my Driving exam yesterday! I passed because i had great teachers I recommend them for new drivers or oldies like me who's anxious with driving. Thank you again Sasha and Andy! God bless you both. read more

A very professional and friendly school, with experienced staff who not only care, but most importantly provide excellent instruction. They even came to our address for my daughter's lessons! read more

We highly recommend taking lessons with Bob McCarthy From the Safestway Driving School. Mr. McCarthy was the instructor for our two teenagers. He was very thorough and patient during the lessons. His instructions were clear and consistent. Mr. McCarthy was always on time and used the lessons time effectively. He balanced praises and constructive feedback to our children (helped them to be careful and confident with driving). He went above and beyond to give us parents detailed written feedback. We highly recommend signing up with Mr. McCarthy, driving instructor number 228. read more

Great experience for my daughter. Someone always answered the phone, tons of knowledge with all the teachers.

Friendly and courteous, easy to book and first lesson went great!! Great availability as well!!

Lisa was amazing! Always punctual and friendly . My son enjoyed his driving lessons with her. He passed his driving test on the first try! Would definitely recommend. read more

Huge shoutout to my instructor, Brent. I am sincerely grateful for the exceptional instruction, patience, expertise, and encouragement, which were invaluable in helping me prepare for my driving test. I felt confident going into my test and got my license. I had an amazing experience and would highly recommend this driving school to future student drivers! read more

Lisa was really kind and thorough with our lessons, she covered lots of tips and tricks that ended up helping me pass my drivers exam today! definitely recommend! read more

Very happy with Safestway. My kids had Brent as an instructor. He was always on time and he prepared them well for the DL test and to be good drivers. read more

I primarily had Steve as an instrutor. I was required to take a driving test due to the loss of vision in one eye, which occured over 30 years ago. Steve was an excellent instructor. He provided me great insight into what the DMV examiners would be looking for and most importantly he was very flexible in scheduling my lessons. I was recovering from a recent hip replacement surgery and he accomodated my needs. If you are a mature driver and need to take a driving test, my last test was in 1968 when I got my license, then I would recommend this School and Steve in particular. read more