If you want to get MENTALLY prepared for passing the behind-the-wheel test, please, make Lance your first choice! Scheduling and payments: everything's online. I suggest reaching out via text message before paying to make sure he has the availability you're looking for. Lance is very organized and it has an excellent scheduling system. You will get reminders through text and he will always be on time for lessons or your DMV appointment. He respects you, your money, and your time. He is flexible as long as you communicate with time. 1 hour behind the wheel test prep: He will give you the DMV examiner experience, meaning he will be VERY strict and COLD BLOODED for real, (I even told him that lol) If you have ever been at the DMV you can tell how sad and mean this people are. Well, Lance will show you how to control your nerves and focus on the importance of driving safely and listening actively. So don't take it personally, for the ones that said he was mean, I would say he's very straightforward, he wants you to follow the rules and you have to go out of your comfort zone and trust his teaching method. He gave me feedback after the lesson, it was mostly learning how to control my nervousness and don't anticipate the examiner's instructions. Other than that he said my driving was fine. :) DMV test day package: He picked me up on time and let me drive to the DMV, again, her reminded me about actively listening to the instructions and the importance of understanding the psychology of the test to pass. Lance being this strict helped me to be more calm because when the examiner approached us, I was prepared to not let the examiner's cold-blooded unemotional detached attitude affect me. Result: I passed the test with few errors and then we drove back to the pickup spot. Today recommended! Thanks, Lance, I wish you the best! read more

SoCal Driving Academy - Error related to speed: slow down in business areas - Driving Schools Near Me

We used SoCal Driving Academy for our daughters pre-test lessons. She enjoyed the lessons with Lance and it helped her greatly in preparation for the driving test, which she passed first time! Thank you for all of your great instruction Lance! read more

SoCal Driving Academy - Thank you Lance! - Driving Schools Near Me

My son did his driver's training sessions here and we couldn't be happier with the decision. Lance was great! From the first session my son's confidence was boosted. After each session he showed more and more progress. Passed his drivers test the first time! I highly recommend Lance if you are looking for drivers training! read more

Lance is an amazing driving instructor. What helps him is the fact that he's a big car guy himself, so the passion definitely comes through. What sets him apart is his ability to create a calming atmosphere while driving. read more

My teenager and I had a great experience with Lance. Previously we had a less-than-great experience with a different company who had poor communication, didn't confirm appointments, and bailed on lessons at the last minute. I wish we had gone with SoCal Driving Academy in the first place, I could have saved some money and headache. Lance is very professional, great with communication, easy to arrange lessons with, and competitively priced. He put my child at ease right off the bat and taught her what she needed not only to pass the test but to be a safe and aware driver. He provides progress reports so I knew what I needed to work on with her. Highly recommended! read more

I just moved from Israel to the us California Was looking for a school that I can do my american California Drivers licence . I cald the number no one pick up They only answer by text Very rude .Dont try to contact them they have no costomor service skills . read more

SoCal Driving Academy - This is the answer - Driving Schools Near Me

Please read the fine print about scheduling within 6 months. I signed up in a hurry and missed that. It is clearly written in their policy, so I highly recommend taking the time to get on the schedule as soon as you can. This will prevent any trouble getting the lessons done in a timely manner. read more

Lance is very professional, always on time. No other students in the car, no irrelevant conversations, very detailed and helpful reports for the parents. He will always try his best to find an appointment that will fit your schedule. My daughter passed dmv test with only 4 mistakes! Highly recommend!! read more

Using SoCal DRIVING ACADEMY was very easy. They come to your house pick up your driver and give them a thorough sessions. My son learned a lot and is seemingly a good driver. Lance was great, always accommodating, quickly got back to my texts. The whole experience was great, I highly recommend SoCal DRIVING ACADEMY. read more

This review is long overdue. I had my two 2 hour lessons with Lance in April. I took and passed my driving test in June. I appreciated the fact on my first day, Lance introduced himself and gave his background with cars. Also, calmed my nerves by seeing what I really needed to work on with driving. I can't tell you enough how relieved I am that I got help from him with driving. I had so much anxiety around driving and the driving test. Listen to the tips he gives and feel free to ask questions if you're unsure. He is a very patient but direct teacher. I recommend to try and get your lessons scheduled with him ASAP. The lessons with him are worth it! 100% I just wanted to say a huge thank you again to Lance! read more

Lance is the best. My daughter was very nervous but he was professional, patient and on time. I paid for lessons at another driving school in Irvine and it was so bad, that we had to hire Lance. Lance delivered. There were no other students in the car. You will get your full money's worth. The price is excellent for the lessons too. I highly recommend SoCal Driving School. Thanks again Lance! read more

SoCal Driving School yelp review We came to SoCal Driving School after having a very difficult time scheduling lessons with AAA driving school for our daughter. **Please read the AAA driving school reviews on YELP, every 1 star reviews are TRUE.** Lance responded to our call fast and was able to schedule our daughter a lesson soon after that. At that point, our daughter was already 16, had her permit for more than 6 months and had practiced on the road for over 40 hours. Lance was able to correct some bad habits and help our daughter focus on how to be a safe driver. She has learned a lot from Lance. Because our daughter is in a club sport, it is difficult to schedule driving lessons but Lance was able to fit her in his already full schedule, we are very thankful for that! In the month of August, we were able to get a behind the wheel appointment from DMV on super short notice. In communication with Lance he was very understanding and kind, moving the last lesson to the morning of her test in the early morning hours. The daughter passed the behind the wheel test that afternoon!! Thank you so much Lance, without you, we would have still been waiting on AAA to schedule lessons as opposed to our daughter getting her license. read more

If I could give SoCal Driving Academy a 10, I would. Lance was very patient with my son and helped build his confidence. I had a good impression right away with his style of teaching and tips. We have tried other driving schools, but they did not compare with the smooth process of SoCal Driving Academy. I love the report card that was emailed after each lesson. It helped us to see what areas we needed to work on a little more. I would highly recommend them. Thanks SoCal Driving Academy for helping my son to be a safe new driver. read more

A friend recommended this driving school and she was right. Lance was great and it's so much better when your child has one instructor teaching them. I highly recommend this business. My son improved and was more confident after his first lesson and passed the exam the first try. read more

Going into my lessons I was really hoping I would get a great instructor. And based on my first 2 lessons with Lance, I would say I got a great instructor! Lance made great conversation and made the experience comfortable being a woman, until my last session. I don't know if they really drill into you on the last lesson, but Lances' behavior and attitude towards me seemed extremely excessive for being a stranger. Off the bat, I was met with an extremely passive-aggressive tone on my first mistake which was passing the crosswalk slightly on a stop sign accidentally. I apologized and then continued. Being someone with anxiety, especially when it comes to adults in a higher position than me, I got nervous which definitely didn't improve my driving. But maybe it was expected to be my responsibility to tell his company that beforehand. During this last lesson, he would continue to raise his voice at me, attempting to enforce driving laws. I understand if it was someone's parent, but this was my driving instructor who I expected to be very reasonable and logical like before. In doing so I began to have an anxiety attack, which got all the worse when he invaded my personal space by reaching behind my neck to point at the left blind-spot-check area. He did this while raising his voice and saying, "No! Here. You look here." Besides his aggressive teaching of that lesson, there was an uncomfortable silence throughout the whole drive. Based on our previous, friendly conversations, I would expect at least a goodbye but instead, he didn't say goodbye to me at all. It was honestly extremely immature. Even if you get frustrated with one of your students or are having a bad day, I believe you should never treat anyone with disrespect on top of angry behavior. It's taken me since summer to write this review because of how honestly traumatized I was because of this last session. That is also why I remember every detail of this day. Lance's behavior towards me taught me a valuable lesson about myself that I wasnt aware of before, so thank you, Lance. Also if you're reading this Lance, I passed my first try. Anyone else who might be reading this, I would hate for this to happen to your anxious teen. So please just choose AAA instead. read more

If I could I would rate it an 11 because this driving school goes to 11! Doesn't matter if you're a teen beginner or an adult of any age. This is a newer school so my search for this one was hard as I couldn't find it through review sites, and the ones I saw had a lot of mixed reviews. I took a shot with this one and am extremely satisfied. The main instructor and owner, Lance, is such a great instructor and helped me gain confidence of being behind the wheel. He shows up to where you are for your lesson on time and sends a reminder the day before, unlike reviews for other schools. I myself am an adult and have not had my license for sometime because of the easy access of transportation I have had. To all parents, adults and teens, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS DRIVING SCHOOL, BOOK YOUR LESSON TODAY! read more

I highly recommend SoCal Driving Academy. I have 3 children and have used 2 other driving programs prior to this school. SoCal Driving Academy far exceeds the other driving programs we have used. The other schools shuffled different instructors whereas SoCal Driving school uses the same instructor. Lance was very professional, fabulous instructor and is a calm teacher who instills confidence in his students. Making them proficient in their driving skills and comfortable behind the wheel. read more

Thanks Lance for helping me pass the DMV test at First Go. The car was perfect for learning , no issues anywhere during tests and during learning sessions. But the biggest asset is of course you, the very very detailed advice and tips on how DMV conducts the exam , the tricks they do employ some time to test safety knowledge, the detailed instructions how to perform driving maneuvers the DMV way , the rules of the road , was made clear by you from the word Go. Thank you for your help in the test day too , that made all the test day procedures a breeze. Thank you again , I would recommend your driving school to anybody irrespective of their age to pass the DMV exam. read more

This was my first time driving a left-hand drive car. I had the worst experience. The teacher was very rude, condescending and racist as well. I felt like I was being harassed. I ended up in tears towards the end of the session. I have cancelled all remaining sessions and I don't want the refund as well. Only reason I am writing this review is so that any other first time drivers don't go through this type of horrible experience. Please make sure that someone is present during your session. read more

SoCalDriving Academy was the perfect decision to freshen up my driving skills to prepare for the behind the wheel test! Lance's way of teaching is suitable for both young and old as he is very patient and explains everything in detail. After a few lessons with Lance you are perfectly prepared and most importantly have the self confidence to master the test easily! Lance has always been on time is very responsive and didn't hesitate to go the extra mile to get me to that License! 5 Stars, 2 Thumbs Up ! Big Thank You to Lance read more

My driving instructor, Lance(also owner of the business), was EXTREMELY helpful in getting me to pass my driving test. He really knows what he is doing- I passed my driving test in Los Angeles! If you didn't know, driving in LA is very hard wjth all the road conditions as well as other drivers, but I still passed, thanks to his good teaching. Also just a really down to Earth, father-like guy that you can get comfortable around and talk to about literally anything! Had a really good experience, I'm so happy I chose SoCal driving read more

SoCal Driving Academy exceeded my expectations. Lance is the best! My son's driving permit was about to expire and we needed to get lessons in ASAP. His accommodations were awesome. My son felt very comfortable with Lance and gained so much confidence. I even learned a few new things. The bonus was he passed on his first try and now has his license. I feel that Lance went above and beyond. We will definitely be using SoCal Driving Academy again for my next young driver. read more

Excellent experience! Needed to a driving school for my 17 year old. Tried the old standard AAA at first. They took my info, charged my card, then called back days later to schedule. They couldn't even complete 6 hours in a month using any office nearby! So I found SoCal Driving Academy. They were great. Great scheduling. Loved the report cards. Super friendly instructor. It absolutely couldn't be better. She passed on the first attempt with only a few "mistakes". Wish I could give them 10 stars. read more

TL;DR: After a mere 4h (2 lessons) Lance has taught me to drive decently on the "right" side of the road here without reliving the day I crashed a car into someone else's. I definitely recommend you go with SoCal Driving Academy to get a more personal and rewarding experience compared to a driving school. The detailed review: Quick background on me - I learned to drive on the other side of the road and was a "Sunday driver" for ~2 years. Haven't driven for 3+ years prior to moving to CA. The last time I drove, I was vacationing in the US but hit someone on the freeway (it caused very minor damage luckily). I was pretty nervous having to get behind the wheel again here, after that long hiatus and countless nightmares of crashing into various other cars. My husband offered to teach me but the lack of a passenger brake pedal didn't assuage my fears, so we agreed I'd go back to driving school. Now onto SoCal Driving School - Lance is an amazing teacher. Off the bat he told me I only needed 4h of lessons given my background, so told me to pay for that. He said I could just pay for additional hours if needed. (I've only taken those 4h, and my test is this Friday.) I went with him as he was the only decently rated teacher nearby who was available for lessons ASAP. His availability is pretty decent if you can do mornings on weekdays. Throughout both lessons (2h each), Lance was very patient with me. His instruction was firm and clear - but not mean. (In contrast, my first driving teacher back when I got license overseas was great, but he tended to shout or be very angry in general when I stalled the car. I'm not an overly sensitive person, but it got kind of stressful at times.) He cleverly engaged me in small talk during lessons to help me with my nerves. I actually really enjoyed getting to know him more and hope I didn't bore him too much about my life. :) Thanks again Lance! read more

Lance at So Cal Driving Academy is by far the best instructor and driving school. He is very patient, professional and works with you on every aspect. After paying more at another well known driving school, my daughter did not pass her behind the wheel. When Lance helped her refresh her driving, she passed her behind the wheel! I had my second daughter take her lessons through So Cal Driving Academy and she passed her behind the wheel the first time. I highly recommend So Cal Driving Academy!!! read more

Lance is very professional, he helped teach me the rules of the road. I passed my driving test and he made it very easy to remember what needed to be done and what needs to be in order to pass. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who wants to learn how to drive and be 100% sure they will pass! I guarantee you it is worth it to get lessons especially with lance. Thank you so much! read more

Lance was awesome! Made my son feel comfortable from the get go! Easy going, encouraging and full of knowledge! The best option for your teen, hands down! Don't bother checking other guys out; you will be pleased with SoCal Driving Academy! read more

After having a HORRIBLE experience with a Groupon Driving school to finalize his driving lesson to get his certificate the company was GONE! THANKFULLY I Met LANCE at my shop we started talking and come to find out he was opening up his own business ! He's punctuality, respect , communication, was right on the money. He thought my son proper driving, took the time to explain, ok so you guys get it right ...... HE WAS AMAZING , so my son had his behind the wheel at Santa Ana DMV and PASSED !!! Thank you Lance! Looking forward to hiring you in a year for my daughter ! read more

SoCal driving academy helped me refresh after many years of not driving. I am always a little nervous when I drive, but my instructor Lance has a welcoming and warm demeanor that put me at ease right from the start. I think this is crucial as I can learn / retain / practice better and drive safely when I am calm. However I also tend to tune out voices if they are too quiet or monotone, so I was glad my instuctor was firm and straightforward with his feedback while staying his normal calm self and never getting frustrated. And then of course, I learned a lot and had plenty of opportunity to try again whenever I made a mistake. If I had kids, I'd send them here! read more

I used SoCal driving academy for my behind the wheel test since I didn't have a car I could borrow. Lance answered my questions and gave me tips. I felt very prepared and had a better idea of what to expect. For example, he went over the things that the dmv people ask you before you even take the test (hand signals and where certain things are located). Thank you so much! Would definitely recommend. read more

This driving company was a referral from a friend. WOW! Lance was so great and easy to work with. Made my daughter feel comfortable the very first drive. Explained all details of what to expect on the DMV test and overall did am amazing job. Highly recommend read more

Had a fantastic experience! They showed up on time and has helped my son a lot with his driving confidence and basic understanding of the rules of driving. read more

I want to give SOCal Driving Academy and Lance a huge shout out! After having a horrible and scary experience with another driving school for my oldest I was leery of finding a driving school for my youngest. So Cal Driving Academy came recommended by a friend and I couldn't be more pleased. Lance was on time, clean safe car, and knew what he was talking about. My son passed his driving test on the first attempt. I would highly recommend this school. Thanks Lance! read more

Lance was always on time, he is very helpful, thorough, I would highly recommend this driving school. Please sign up if you want you to ace it read more

So glad we went with SoCal Driving Academy. Lance is amazing, he always made sure I was comfortable and gave a lot of helpful instruction. I was worried the lessons may be awkward seeing as they were hours in a car with a stranger but I was very pleasantly surprised during my first lesson when I found he was very easy to talk to and I was worried for no reason. Would highly recommend! read more

When you want your kids to become a excellent , safe driver at socal , you need to enroll them at Socal Driving Academy, Lance is awesome , Honest and excellent driving instructor , My daughther just passed the driving test with this school and they can also accompany your kids to actual driving test and used there Car and insurance with reasonable price.Thanks again " KUDOS to Lance " read more

This is my second experience with a driving school, for my older son was just complete the DMV requirement, this time was complete different, Lance went over the test with my son, actually taught him how to pass the test and was expected, and gave him so much confidence. I would recommend them to everybody. Big thank you! read more