I recently moved to California from NYC and knew that I desperately needed freeway lessons. Driving on the Cali freeway is in a separate class by itself especially if you hate speeding like me. Long story short- I recently got my DL so I'm not the most experienced driver in the world. I know most think driving is a breeze but I take it very seriously. After much deliberation I selected Safety First based on reviews. My first class was this past Saturday and after meeting Kurt I knew I made the best decision. Kurt was my driving instructor. He showed up 10 minutes before the scheduled class which I appreciated and he greeted me with utmost professionalism. I'm usually a nervous wreck while driving but this guy made me feel calm and confident and pretty soon I was actually driving safely on the freeway. He is a skilled instructor with lots of patience and he takes notes on items that need improvement. I felt very safe. This entire process from the registration with Sam (the manager) to the scheduling of classes was a seamless experience. Classes are booked in advance so you may need to spread your lessons over a few weeks which is fine. Practicing between classes is key to making driving techniques perfect. I have 2 more classes left but I'm confident that I will be a much more capable driver at the end. Thanks Safety First! read more

Do NOT use this business! Their instructors can't even drive safely! I was cut off VERY DANGEROUSLY by their car THIS MORNING. I saved the dashcam video. DO NOT TRUST THIS COMPANY read more

They disappeared. Website is gone. Phone number says you can't leave a message and then hangs up on you. They took our money and went out of business. January 2026. read more

Sam and his instructors are the best! After I moved from NYC to CA I was in desperate need to get my driver's license within a few weeks. Safety 1st was able to accommodate me and made it possible for me to pass the knowledge and the behind-the-wheel test at the first try without owning a car myself. After this experience it was a no-brainer for me to enroll all of my children as well. Two of them passed easily and my third one is about to take the road test. Because of time commitment issues on my son's side and a brain-fart on my side we weren't able to complete all 6 hours of required driving school time before the package expired plus we are only 2 weeks away for his permit to expire. Luckily Sam was able to reactivate the package (for a small fee) and schedule the missing classes before then. Yes, their fleet are small FIAT 500s but according to my children and based on my very own experience this is more helpful than not. I highly recommend Safety 1st Driving School for all your driver's ed needs. read more

Worst experience I've had with a company in all of my life!!! I'm not a serial Yelper (this is my first negative review ever) but my experience was sooo bad I have to WARN others to avoid this company despite the price seeming attractive. First, the business design is confusing, you first talk to someone who has kids/dogs barking in the background and they want you to text a number to communicate with the drivers but use the emails to schedule so you never quite know anyone you are dealing with, no names or real people you can rely on. They seem to outsource your driver's Ed to other drivers so it is very confusing and sketchy. Despite these red flags we scheduled our son's lesson on 9/10 and they confirmed the appt at 6pm at our house... we waited... and waited... and spent our family dinner hour on the curb for someone (never was provided a number or name of our driver) who never showed up. There was no cancellation, no sorry I'm running late, no apology. The next day the company emailed me asking if the driver's lesson occurred or not, as if they did not even know?!?! I told them of the frustration of be stood up, no apology just okay send us your info again and we can get you rescheduled. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt, after all things do happen that are out of our control sometimes. They got back to me with a next available appt of 11/19!!! We have 6 months to get his driver's training completed and his 50 hours behind the wheel completed and the next available appt is almost 3 months after we started the process with this company. We informed them of the bad experience we are having and that we are going to try a different company to start the driver's ed (the new company has been such a night and day difference), we got no response from them (which is on par with their prior level of communication and organization). Then I get a credit card statement stating $265 charged on 9/22. I tried to communicate with the text message line, the only person you can get on the phone (with kids/dogs or something yelling in background) and she said she couldn't do anything and was not even sure which drivers or companies were assigned to our file, could not tell us the name of the driver who no showed and was generally clueless about the events of the last month. She did not seem to care that we were stood up and then later offered a make up appt 2 months later and did not understand why we would find that annoying or unacceptable. They finally just said no refunds for teen drivers program despite the fact we had never had any training provided by them, no goods or services were ever provided by them and they refuse to provide a refund. I wish there was a 0 star rating. I only hope this review, and the many others like it, will help others fall victim to this experience. read more

im 16 years old and i was learning how to drive and scott holder was my instructor and did 6 lessons with me and today i had my driving test today for the first time and PASSED. Couldnt of done it without him and his knowledge. read more

Best driving school. Gerald is amazing! My daughter still talks about him & what a great teacher he was & how safe she felt highly recommend! read more

Ours was definitely a confusing experience. From the very beginning, there was miscommunication on meeting days that were set. We had three, two hour lessons. The first lesson went fine. The second lesson, she was about an hour late and they were unable to get in touch with the instructor. She did finally show up and we did have a full lesson. The third and final she went to the wrong house. This was after we had communicated the day before about where my son was to be picked up from. An inquiry about working with them to take the driving test went ignored. The driving lessons himself were just OK, with many basic things either skipped or not emphasized. No apologies for any of the missteps. No follow up from the company. read more

I availed their services again for my younger brother who's 17 y/o and today, he passed his first attempt Behind the wheel test! Sam the business owner I believe had issues initially setting his lessons because 'they are fully booked till March' but he works with you and lets you know if there's cancellation in your preferred time of the day. My brother personally had Scott and Gabriel as his instructors which were both great. Highly recommended for professionalism and commitment for their service read more

Such a good driving school. Scott is by far the best driving instructor I've had. Driving with Safety 1st washed away all of my worries about driving. read more

I've been meaning to write this review for ages. Mike Del Rio taught my now 20 year old, when he was 16 & my 18 year old, who just took his test. They both passed first time with confidence and ease. I was super impressed with all the safe driving habits they learned, and some new to me! They learned to pump gas, go through car washes and a whole bunch of things I would never have thought of. Both my boys loved the conversations and appreciated his patience, especially going on the freeways for the first time ever. (Thank you for that Mike.. I didn't have the stomach for it.) They also loved the Fiats with great visibility and even asked for a "small car like the Fiat" when we were looking for a car for them. So very very grateful for Safety First & especially Mike Del Rio- long overdue THANK YOU read more

These are professional teaching. I was 27 when I took my driving test and only required 4 lessons for me to pass the dmv test. And oh by the way they are customer first too. If you consider them ask of Scott read more

Our daughter has been receiving her driving instruction from Michael at Safety First driving school in Irvine and it has been wonderful from the moment we began. Our daughter is learning to drive and she has received great instruction and is just about to get her drivers license. Michael has been a safe, knowledgeable and encouraging instructor. My daughter says that he is funny and makes the driving instruction enjoyable. She feels safe and well respected. I would highly recommend his services. Speaking with Sam at the office and going over things as a parent as well as registration was really easy for our driving instruction. They both were great at helping get through some of the anxiety of being a new driver. Overall it has been a five-star experience. read more

I had Scott for my last two lessons and he made driving much less stressful for me!! He provided many tips for the driving test and I ended up passing on the first try. If you have him for your lessons as well, he takes you to fun spots too which makes your lessons go by so much faster. Overall, he is a very nice person to talk to as well and I would definitely request to book him for your lessons!! read more

Working with Eva was wonderful! She was kind, reassuring, and easy to talk to. Scott was great with the help he provided before the driving exam. Many thanks to Sam for finding a schedule that worked just right for me. :) read more

We purchased the 10 hour package from Safety 1st and I believe that we found a great driving school! Driving for the the first time, I was extremely nervous but my driving instructor, Eddie, made me feel so comfortable and confident behind the wheel. He was very positive and made the 2 hour appointment so much fun and go by so quick! He was very calm, patient, and knowledgable. Overall, my driving lesson with Eddie was great! I highly recommend Safety 1st. read more

I used a different driving school for my son, so this is my first experience with this driving school. It's important to note that I polled over 50 people that used local driving schools within the last 3 years and Safety 1st kept coming up as being a great option. I did my own research and called several local schools, price comparisons, success rates, scheduling flexibility, etc. and again, Safety 1st kept floating to the top of the pack. I have to say that overall my experience was positive! I loved talking to Sam whenever I scheduled appointments...he was friendly and always eager to find a solution for last minute changes (and unfortunately, due to team sport scheduling changes, this impacted some of our far-in-advance-booked lesson dates). Sam even came through in the clutch when I started to waiver in *my* confidence about my daughter's driving and worked out a deal for me to afford 4 additional hours of training. All of the instructors were professional, friendly and eager to help train my daughter...which she needed since confidence was her biggest challenge (and she had a great bond with Eva, who by far was the most encouraging and engaging with her). Loved that their cars are small, well maintained and fun to drive so that kids aren't too overwhelmed at the start. They practiced the driving course with my daughter without asking them, which was an appreciated bonus. The only draw back that I consistently ran into was the fact that she rarely received a full 2-hour lesson, other than the first 4 hours of training. I paid for 10 hours of driving lessons for my daughter, I would have liked to see her receive 10 actual hours. We had issues with instructors showing up late or dropping her off early (in one case 20 minutes!) and one time, we experienced both issues of an instructor showing up late and dropping off early in the same lesson. Regardless of this drawback, I would recommend Safety 1st to others, as long as they hold the school more accountable for the lesson time. My daughter DID pass on the first try!!! She drives with so much confidence now, so I do owe Safety 1st for that and that's worth a million stars, no matter what. read more

Safety first was a win. The instructor was kind and patient. They took my student to the driving test area on our las visit to make sure she was comfortable. She passed on her first try and I will use them again for my third child! read more

This is our family's second time using them first for our son 3 years ago and recently for our daughter. Prompt, Courteous, encouraging, the instructors gave my daughter a big confidence boost on her driving skills. read more

WE LOVE THIS CO! Martha and Richard were phenomenal instructors and our daughter passed on her first try! They were so patient and explained all the details to prepare our daughter for a successful test. Great overall. Only one suggestion... let students know they should schedule early and well in advance. They fill up fast! read more

Safety 1st Driving School - Driving Schools Near Me - Irvine, California

This is the worst driving school ever. You pay then they set the appointment after the fact. Getting an appointment is impossible and can be months out! Then they change it in you again and again. NEVER AGAIN!!! My daughter wanted me to point out that she did like the instructors:-) read more

This review is from a student's perspective. I just finished my third and last driving lesson with this school and am overall pretty satisfied with my experience! I had two instructors over the course of my lessons. My first instructor, Eddie, was a super cool, super jovial guy. Whenever I would have my lesson with him, I always felt reassured that I was doing well and never once did he stress me out over my mistakes. On my third lesson, he had me drive out on the freeway to Old Town Orange, so he will prepare you for freeway driving as a little cherry-on-top benefit if you are scheduled with him. Really cool guy, great instructor. My second instructor, Kristen, was nice and quirky, but she was really stern and kinda scary when I made a mistake and stressed me out. Whenever I would get stressed, I'd do worse, thus making more mistakes. With this being said, whenever I did something right, she would highly praise me and make me feel like I'd improved. She let me know which mistakes would take points off on the test. Overall, an effective and good instructor, but stressed me out by how snappy she was. The cars (Fiat 500s) do not have dual steering wheels, but they do have a dual brake system for the passenger. I was not taken on the DMV course but I'm sure if one would request it, it would be seen to. I'm glad to have spent my time with this school! read more

5 stars for the instructor! My daughter's instructor Tyler arrived early. He was very professional and had an upbeat personality. My daughter enjoyed her lesson and learned so much from him. He was very patient and knowledgeable. We liked him so much that I've scheduled her next lessons with Tyler. I would definitely recommend Safety 1st Driving School! read more

This is my second time using Safety 1st. The first time was for my son about 3yrs ago. It's was great! After passing his permit test he was able to go on his first driving lesson within two weeks. The other lessons were easy to get too. So when it came time for my daughter to start this process we got online and signed up. After passing the permit test she called to do behind the wheel on 2/26. She was told the first appointment they had was 3/29. I called today and was told that there was no way that was what she was told. Really why would she lie about this???? Not a happy mom. We will see if this review changes. Not looking good. read more

A great driving school indeed. Got my driving license in one go. I really appreciate the friendly and patient staff and trainers who helped me get thru. A special mention to Shaun, Sean and a very helpful Maxine. Michael drove me to DMV and helped me understand what the DMV examiner would look for in a good driver. I'm glad I chose Safety 1st. Three cheers to team Safety 1st read more

I am very glad I have chosen Safety 1st to my driving school. The Manager is very nice to walk me through the package and schedule the classes. It is my third try and I failed the two tests before. So I really need a good teacher. I am lucky that my teacher is Scott Holder. He is very nice and patient to guide me and taught a lot of tips, such as full SMOG. I will never forget the signal, mirror, looking over shoulder and go. And also need to do traffic check every time. I have bought three classes as 6 hours. At the last class, Scott suggested me to go freeway. That was a good practice and gave me more confidence! Finally, I passed and got my driving license! I only got 3 points which is quite a good score! I cannot believe it. Thank you, Scott and Safety 1st driving school. You are the BEST. read more

I highly recommend Safety 1st Driving School. Our instructor, Martha Sanchez, is professional, wonderful, optimistic and a caring person. She gave my daughter so much encouragement & she has a positive attitude which really motivates my daughter. Martha always has an enthusiastic perspective! I feel very blessed to have her as my daughter's instructor. After every driving lesson, my daughter felt more confident & happy that she learned a lot. Martha was very patient & gave detailed instructions. I also feel the same way after every lesson because Martha would talk to me about my daughter's progress. She relieves all my worries. Thank you so much Martha for giving Celine the best experience in driving lessons with you. She was there to support my daughter and see pass her DMV test! We are very thankful to have you as an amazing instructor. You are the BEST! TIP: Schedule your appointments in advance, especially in the summer time since that's the most common and impacted season teens learn to drive! read more

I don't write many positive reviews in general, but I was so impressed with the quality and service I got here. The instructors and staff were all super friendly and helpful. Pricing is also very fair and affordable. Highly recommend! read more

Got us scheduled in a timely manner, my daughter had a great experience with the instructor. He showed up promptly in a great car and was very professional! read more

I have nothing bad to say about Safety 1st Driving School. I had a really great experience. I called needing a few hours of behind the wheel lessons after many years of not driving. My call was answered by a very nice woman who helped me schedule lessons at the most convenient time. My six hours of lessons were with Martha Sanchez, who was the best instructor I could have asked for. She arrived in a brand new Fiat which was a great car to practice in. Martha made me feel very comfortable and was very informative. She always took the time to explain things thoroughly and answered any questions I had in the most detailed manner. She was very sweet and patient and I'm extremely thankful for that. At the end of each lesson you receive a progress report by email telling you how you did and what you need to work on. I would recommend this driving school to anyone and everyone. read more

Honestly, I almost exclusively use Yelp for food...but I have to give a shoutout to Safety 1st. I was trying to find a dependable, affordable, and safe driving school for my younger brother, and I have to say that it is truly nothing short of a miracle that I found this place! My brother is my heart, my all so I only wanted the best for him. The instructors (Brian + Kristen) are kind, patient, and gentle and create a perfect environment for a first time driver. They were patient with all of the questions that he had and also were thorough in their explanations. PLUS THE PRICES ARE GREAT. We didn't have to pay an arm and a leg + my first born child to get behind the wheel experience. My brother passed the license test his first try all thanks to the experience and customer service he received at this school. Thank you so much for being a huge help to my baby bro!!! 5/5 recommend y'all!! PS. Just want to add that their Fiats are so cute and perfect for practicing driving..:-) read more

Alex Namazi was absolutely incredible. At first, I was a bit hesitant with which driving school to choose. Now there's not a doubt in my mind that I made the right decision. My sons instructor Alex was phenomenal. I felt completely at ease right from the start. He even gives you a complete breakdown following each lesson. The day before my sons driving test, Alex went out of his way to go over the exact route the Laguna hills DMV uses. The staff is also exceptional and very accommodating. A+++++ read more

Safety 1st Driving School - Driving Schools Near Me - Irvine, California

Cant say enough positive things about this school. From the office manager , who was amazing every time I talked with her , to all ( and different ) drivers who drove with my son, to owner who ended up giving my son an emergency Friday afternoon session before his driving test. Online tool is great....my son passed the first time Email notification is spot on...after driving class full report is given so I worked with my son on those items. I would absolutely highly recommend this school! read more

This school was able to get my son in for his first driving lesson within a week of receiving his permit. Which was exactly what he needed for his permit to be valid. Varsity Driving School was completely booked for about 6-8 weeks out. On his second lesson they picked him up 20 minutes early- glad we were home. But then he brought him home an hour early. He told my son you're doing well there isn't much more that we need to go over. What?! My son is only 15 1/2 I think there's a lot he can still learn. When I called Sam to bring this to his attention, (he didn't respond to my email) I called and requested that his final lesson would be for the full two hours? Sam didn't acknowledge the shortened lesson, said you are confirmed for today. I was asking if the lesson was going to be shortened today? Our records show it was for the full length of time. ...I'm sure it does. Just wonder if your instructor had other plans that night? I get it...we all have places to be. If we pay/agree to 2 hr lessons, I would like 2 hour lessons. read more

I wanted to take a brief moment to write about my son's positive experience with Safety 1st. First off I work a lot and have not had the opportunity to really take my son out after he received his drivers permit. Moreover I have a 750I BMW that is modified and I know he didn't feel very comfortable practicing in my car, nor did I . That being said I found Safety 1st online, made a quick call and really liked what they had to say. And definitely was pleased with the variety of programs available. And most important the actually times of availability. I opted for one of their premiere packages which gave my son additional time behind the wheel. I wanted to make sure that he was familiar with all the rules of the road and just felt comfortable driving. What I also liked about Safety 1st is they picked him up from whatever location we provided and dropped him off. Also they were always very punctual with all of his appointment and sent reminder emails. It was convenient for everyone, a few times they picked him up from school. And then would drop him off at home after the class had finished. But what really sold me on this school is the fact that they also had a package that included the DMV behind the wheel test and he was able to use the same vehicle he practiced in the weeks before his drivers test. As a parent it doesn't get much better than that, moreover saves me the time and headache of missing work and taking my kid to the DMV and stressing him out. His teacher was Elizabeth and she did an EXCELLENT JOB with my son! He passed his behind the wheel test with flying colors!!!! So those of you that are looking for a GREAT school to take your son or daughter too for their behind the wheel training. Give them a call you'll be happy you did and their prices are very affordable. They were the only school I had spoke with that offered the DMV package. DS read more

The best experience! Yesterday I passed my behind the wheel test. I am an international student, 44 years old, whose life went through significant changes and I felt very welcome from the moment I called for information and talked to Sam. From then on, my classes with Gerald were better than any therapy session. He guided me through this learning process that was a challenge for me. I am very grateful for my instructor's outstanding work. read more

I would give more stars if I could!! My whole learning experience was great, so I definitively encourage everybody to give Safety 1st Driving School a chance. I did a lot of research online and I decided to go with them not only because it was the most affordable option, but also because they treated me with respect and care from the very first call. My instructor was Alex. He is super friendly and an amazing teacher. You can tell he knows what he is doing because he remains calm even on the freeway haha I must mention that I love the car that I drove because it's super easy to drive and very safe too. I took 8 sessions (2 hours each) and all exceeded my expectations. Now I feel confident and safe driving since I know what I am doing. I've been practicing with my husband using our car for a week now and I have my driving test on Monday which I am pretty sure I will pass! :)) read more

I have so many great things to say about this driving school. I'm 21 and I don't have my license, but thanks to Martha I'm finally a licensed driver!!! Martha is seriously the most patient instructor at the school. I've had many lessons with Martha, she's ALWAYS on time and makes me feel at ease diving. I'd recommend her to anyone who feels nervous about driving. I'm actually sad I won't have lessons with her anymore! If I can get my license ANYONE can get their license. read more

I have one great class. the instructor is nice and fun. Unfortunately I encountered the pouring rain during a driving class, but that was a unique experience and I had good practice. Now I have more confidence driving in dark and raining situation. read more

My instructor, Eva, was the kindest and most patient instructor I could have asked for. As someone who was very insecure and nervous about driving, Eva was great. She never pushed me too far and also never discouraged me either. Having an instructor who was kind, knowledgeable and friendly was a great experience, and with her help I was on the FREEWAY by my third lesson! So glad I chose to go with Safety First and that I got along so well with my instructor. read more