Please note: Alliance Defensive Driving School has merged with Coastline Academy. This business merger happened while we were using the service. Highly recommend Coastline Academy. We used them this past summer for driving lessons and the DMV on-road driver's test. A special shoutout to EJ, who is exceptional at working with student drivers on the autism spectrum. Why we liked Coastline: 2-Hour Lessons: Allows students to practice in diverse road conditions, not just local streets. Challenging Routes: Instructors are willing to take students on high-traffic parkways and highways that parents might feel hesitant to teach on. Convenient: Door-to-door pick-up and drop-off. DMV Test Package: Your student can use their car for the DMV test. Just align your Coastline booking with your DMV test slot. The instructor does a practice session right beforehand. read more

I would absolutely recommend this company over and over to anyone needing driving lessons! You can book your appointment online through their website. The instructor will show up to your house for pickup and will take the student for a 1-on-1 driving lesson from there. The exception to this would be the final lesson before the scheduled behind-the-wheel test IF you live far from the DMV location the test is at. They want to maximize the behind-the-wheel time, so if you live far from your DMV test location like I do, you'll have a set meetup spot. The lessons are 2 hours. I want to give an extra shoutout to Bill, who was amazing and very personable with my son! My son liked all of his instructors, but Bill was his standout favorite. read more

Pick and drop off from school. Pick Melissa, she's better than the first guy we had. Much more informative and will repeat areas until child gets it down. Also friendly and informative. This place offered the best price around. read more

My daughter had test prep hours with this school and it was the best. Her instructor Bill was simply amazing! Super patient and very professional. I highly recommend this school 10/10 read more

We had a death in the family and Alliance was willing to work with us on a new date that still worked for our daughters driving test date. They were super understanding and compassionate and we can't thank them enough! read more

Great drivers training for my oldest. I really appreciate the specific trainer bc he was patient, kind and helpful. I highly recommend them.

You better think twice before picking this place. I noticed a very in a hurry driver behind me on the 78 West Freeway they literally cut me off swerved around me and were speeding. If they drive how they teach, then you best go somewhere else to learn how to drive because that is just completely unacceptable, no one needs to be in that much of a hurry to put everyone else's lives at risk. I wasn't able to get the license plate and I'm really sad that I didn't but they were in a silver Toyota Corolla. read more

I highly recommend this driving school! Mostly because they're not many schools that have the brake pedals on the passenger side for their instructor. They really take the time to go over everything with my teenage boy. The instructor always lets me know that as a parent I am doing a good job and I am teaching him how to drive well. Who doesn't like a little extra pat on the back. Bill Howard is a very genuine enthusiastic teacher. I'm so glad my son was able to learn more from him. My son enjoyed riding with him probably more than riding with me. I'll update this review after his driving test in about a week. Wish us luck. read more

We booked ten instructions for my 17 year old daughter. Relocating to CA and adjusting to the driving styles was very overwhelming. Marc was excellent, patient, knowledgeable and calm. He was very supportive and communicative making this process so much less stressful. I can't recommend him enough! read more

TLDR: Choose Bill I am 29 years old and I had a really big fear of driving. My family tried to teach me and I just couldn't do it. I decided to take lessons in hopes that it would help me better than my family could. I took five lessons - two hours per lesson. I had the best experience with my new friend, Bill. He made me feel comfortable immediately. He is one of the kindest people I've ever met, and he made sure to teach me at a pace where I felt comfortable. He is so incredibly patient, he told me stories to distract me from my fear, and I couldn't be more grateful for the experience that I had learning from him. He was such a great teacher and everyone that schedules their lessons with him is lucky to have him. Thank you, Bill! read more

I would like to express my gratitude for Marc Stephens at Alliance Defensive Driving School. Marc went above and beyond with his amazing skills as a driving instructor. Marc taught my son to drive and got my son ready for the driving test which he passed on the first try with minimal errors. Marc is patient, kind, and communicates extremely well with students and parents. Marc gives constructive feedback and recommends areas to work on between lessons. Thank you Marc, we couldn't have done it without you! read more

I just want to say that they are the best driving school for teenagers. They are very professional and work with you to help schedule the courses and reschedule with the instructor of preference. The defensive program they bring to the table really makes a difference to the young drivers. A big salute to Bill for doing such a great job with my teenager and for Alliance itself. Thanks again! read more

I've used Alliance Defensive Driving School for the online permit class as well as driving lessons for both of my teenaged sons. Neither had ever sat behind the wheel of a car prior to their first lesson with the Alliance instructor and I felt completely at ease allowing them to drive off with the instructor. We worked with three different instructors over the course of their lessons and each one was professional, on time, and communicated well after the lesson letting me know exactly how the lesson went and what should be worked on. The online report cards were also helpful to rememeber what skills needed additional practice to master. Both of my boys passed their driver's license road test on their first attempt. I would recommend Alliance Defensive Driving School to anyone. read more

I was in an accident years ago, so I was really nervous about driving & booked 10 lessons with these guys. Let me just say, if it wasn't for my Instructor, Marc I don't think I would be driving today. From the very first lesson with him, he gave me the courage and strength to overcome my fears. His calm and funny learning style made the time fly by and the lessons felt more like mini-road trips with a friend that I truly looked forward to every week. I know words can never express the appreciation and respect I have for this guy. If you want to pass your test & have the BEST learning experience and Instructor, Go with Marc!!! read more

It is a very stressful time as a parent when your children are learning how to drive, well I have twins so the stress was x2. Thankfully Alliance set the foundation and built the skills for my boys to be comfortable and safe on the road. We booked ten hours each and the boys spent 8 hours with Marc Stephens and 2 hours with Bill Howard. They were both on-time, professional, knowledgeable and patient. I will definitely recommend Alliance defensive driving school to all parents who have children learning to drive. The boys passed their driving tests with minimal errors. Thank you Marc & Bill! read more

If I could give zero stars I would. I experienced someone in the middle of their driving lesson driving significantly slower than the speed limit, like 20+ miles below to the point where is was holding up traffic and creating an unsafe environment. The instructor didn't make the decision to have the driver pull over but instead continued to let her drive in this unsafe manner. I am all for people learning how to drive but if they are that uncomfortable on the road then the instructor needs to step in, that is why they are there. This is completely unsafe and not okay to teach drivers to be on the road that way. I contacted the "owner " Diana White who said it is only an inconvenience, not dangerous to drive that slow. She also said that because I'm not a paying customer, my concerns about their driving don't matter. By all means, if you want someone you care about to drive dangerously slow to the point of almost causing accidents, go with this company. Otherwise, stay far away. Update: As you can see below, the owner felt a need to respond, which is fine but if she is going to try and fact, all of the facts should be accurate. I was driving behind this car for 2-3 miles, not minutes. Also, there were plenty of opportunities and locations for the instructor to have the driver pull off but chose not to. Additionally, I did try and resolve this issue at the lowest level by speaking to the owner however she was very dismissive and did in fact tell me that as I wasn't a paying customer that she would not discuss the issue with me. Again, had she not had the god-like complex that her instructor did no wrong and if she had not cut me off why I was trying to explain the situation/ concern with her, I would not have left the review. She still fails to see the big picture that teaching a driver to drive significantly slower than the speed limit when the road conditions are optimal can result in failure of the driving test, citations or even worse causing an accident. Potential customers can make whatever decision they want about choosing this driving school. The only thing I can do is voice my concerns and observations that I witnesses first hand. read more

Marc Stephen's was an incredible instructor. I highly recommend him, best instructor I had.

Thank you for everything you did for my son. Thank you for working with him and teaching him! Every single instructor was amazing, we cannot thank you enough! read more

I just signed my son up for online courses and I was having some trouble with certain things and Matt was on top of responding and their customer service is excellent I highly recommend read more

Excellent instructors. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and provide constructive feedback. Great driving school! Highly recommend.

We have used Alliance for both my kids to get behind the wheel hours. Both kids had different instructors and both passed their test first time. Alliance even went out of their way to squeeze in a last minute session that was needed before my daughter took her dmv test. ( the owner made it work and showed up herself to take my daughter) Times are usually a week or two out for first session. They allow you to pay all 3 sessions up front at a discount or you can break it up and pay per session for slightly more per session. On the last session, she took my daughter around the DMV where she would have her actual test, on a few route options. My daughter said her test was one of the actual routes she practiced with instructor, so she was familiar with the speed limits and upcoming stops. Will use again for my third kid :) read more

Both of our sons took 3 two hour lessons and passed on their first try!! Great service and direction from their instructor.

This review is for the online course. I purchased the online driving school for my son. I received the link to the course very fast. It's a great deal, very low priced! He completed the 30 hr course and shortly after we received the certificate in the mail. Took my son to the DMV and he passed his permit test on first try! Now I got to get him driving lessons. read more

Alliance Defensive Driving School is highly recommended by many of my child's friends. They were so right because my child's instructor, Marc was knowledgeable, patience, detailed, and informative. Their online appointment is easy to use. My child had 10 hours lesson with Marc and according to my child, Marc provided scenarios of what could happen and how to avoid it. My child enjoyed listening to all Marc's life lesson stories and it was never a dull moment in the car with Marc. Marc has great sense of humors and his humors calm my child's nerves while driving. Marc provides detailed report for me to read after each lesson and suggestions to improve my child driving skills. I'm thankful and grateful that Marc was my child's instructor. read more

I know that we have a lot of teenagers that are preparing to take their Drivers License Test. I wanted to give Alliance Defensive Driving School an Absolute Top Rate Rating in taking care of my Daughters driving needs. They were very easy to work with, incredibly professional, and absolutely know their stuff when it comes to teaching driving lessons and preparing teenagers for the Driving Test. She was very comfortable and is far more confident driving than just practicing with Dear Old Dad! Good Luck on your Tests! RJ. Matt White Alliance Defensive Driving School California State License #E2084 760-740-2524//858-254-7908 www.alliancedefensivedrivingschool.com read more

The whole experience was great. Instructors we're very knowledgeable and showed up on time. The app to schedule/reschedule appts was super helpful and easy to use. The report cards each session helped with knowing what to work on next and kept the parents in the loop. My son learned so much and had a great time. read more

Great Experience! We chose Alliance because they had the earliest available appointment compared to a bunch of other schools and we are glad we chose them. The online scheduling works great, they pick students up, and are calm and patient with teaching. We got a report card of the things my daughter needed to work on between lessons and some final recommendations before the behind the wheel test. On the last lesson, she got lots of pointers for test day and the tasks she would need to perform. Instructors were always friendly and spent a few minutes chatting after each lesson. I feel that my daughter is prepared and we will use Alliance with our other 2 when the time comes. read more

My teenage son has been taking lessons from Alliance, and we have had nothing but a fantastic experience. Each instructor has been very knowledgeable and helpful. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for a great defensive driving school! I have no doubt my son will pass his driving test. read more

My two kids have used their services and have loved their experiences. They have come home totally excited about what they learned during their lessons; the cool tricks they were shown on how to drive, park, avoid collision better. If you have a teenager, you know how difficult it is to get them excited about ANYTHING, well this driving school made their day every time they had a lesson. Thank you for the great service, patience and friendly teaching to make our young teenagers safe drivers! read more

My 16th year old daughter had to do her class and left everything for last minute , Alliance Defensive Driving School and Mr. Cullison, accommodated us during a weekend. Very personable, with deep knowledge of the law, very organized class. My daughter passed her test on the first try, and I know we ow it to the great teacher. He does a mock test and has the knowledge of the requirements. Dedicates a lot of the time to the safety of the driver and the pedestrians. We are so very satisfied! Thank you Mr. Cullison read more

HUGE thank you to Bill Howard. He was a fantastic instructor for our (nervous) daughter. Kind. Calm. Patient. Knowledgeable. This is the school you want and he's the man! read more

I got nothing but positive things to say about this place. I can see why everyone and their moms are scheduling sessions with this school to get their license. I had Diane, Pam, and Maria, all very good instructors. They are all patient and understanding especially with the fact that I was timid about driving. Totally would recommend to my friends and family members; especially since I passed my behind the wheel test on my first try. Thanks guys! read more

I had an irrational fear of driving following failing a driving test in the UK over 12 years ago. The thought of driving scared the living daylights out of me in the UK so you can imagine just how big the fear was over driving in a whole different country. I realised that the only way to get me driving would be to get myself a driving school. I booked 10 hours of lessons with Alliance Defensive driving school. I have so far had 4 two hour lessons with Elmer and need to book the last one just before I take my test. However, due to car issues the test has yet to be booked (need the car to be fixed after hubby got shunted at the lights on the way to work, and NO I was not in the car at the time!). By the second lesson I was driving on the freeway, it therefore gave me the confidence to drive alone and I now have around 35 hours of experience of driving around outside of lessons! I would give them 5 stars, however, I found that it was quite pricey, additionally it can be extremely hard to get a lesson booked in due to the availability of the instructor. read more

Alliance Defensive Driving School is an outstanding service! Elmer the instructor took care of all my needs and managed to get the fear out of driving on the freeway which I was not accustomed before moving to California. He will treat you calmly with a lot of patience and understanding and will push you to do what is in your capabilities early on so it takes the mystique out of the fears that you may have. I was hesitant at first since I thought it was unnecessary since I drove in another country for years but; not only was it worth it from a safety point of view but I learned a ton of new things that would take many months of trial and error to learn on your own. Besides I am a better and safer driver to the rest of Californians because of Elmer's instruction. I was able to only get 3 wrongs out of all the on the behind the wheel test and was even congratulated by the DMV examiner as really good. If you are on the fence about this service... don't, they are life savers. The price you pay is nothing compared to the rewards and security you gain. Thanks a lot Elmer and ADDS!!! read more

My instructor was Elmer and he was really nice with a very positive personality. He did really well teaching me everything that I needed to know. On the third and final lesson before my actual test he gave me a sort of "mock test" and it really helped me to practice and know what I would be expecting during the actual test. And the best part? I passed my drivers license test with 0 errors! :D read more

I contacted Alliance when my daughter received her permit for the requirements. I cannot say enough great things about them! It was easy to sign up, pay and schedule the appointments. Bill is an AMAZING instructor who is very patient and kept us in the loop about what was great, good and needed improvement. I had an issue on my end scheduling the last appointment and they went ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ACCOMMODATE my error! Thank you Bill, Mike and Alliance...we definitely will be using you again for the next 2 kids!!! read more

Our experience with Alliance Defensive Driving School was really positive all around. Throughout my daughter's lessons she spent time with three different instructors who all did a really great job not just preparing her to pass the driving test but to make her a safer and more responsible driver. I think tailoring the last lesson to the area around the DMV office where the test was going to be just gave my daughter an extra boost of confidence such that all of the nerves she had just disappeared as the test began. Thanks to Diane and the other terrific instructors. read more

I'm so thankful for all I learn so much! So now I have my drivers license. I driving all my life , here i have to learn important things to make it. Thanks Bill for bring me confidence and you're right I made it. Thanks . read more

Awesome! This place is amazing. My son went thru their program two years ago and had a great experience - the instructor was very knowlegable, calm, and patient in teaching not only the rules of the road but also what to do when the unexpected happens. Recently it was my daughter's turn and we again chose Alliance. Diane was exceptional! She received the same training as my son did - took my daughter on various roads, routes, and conditions all the while teaching her defensive tips and strategies. Very professional, timely, and organized in all aspects - I highly recommend her and Alliance! read more

I recently took advantage of their behind the wheel training lessons and the only thing I can say is WOW! :) .. Courteous, Calm and extremely focused is how I would describe the instructors I worked with. I initially started off with a 6 hour package and later moved to the 10 hour BTW training and it was totally worth it! I aced my driving test at the DMV ( My instructor actually took a picture of my scorecard to brag! ;) ) . Here's a little bit about my experience : I decided to take the dive since I hadn't seen many good reviews about other schools and plus I was really impressed at how they had a description of their instructors on the website - putting a face and credibility to their business. The instructors are always on time and call you when they reach the location or call you much in advance if there is a need to reschedule. I started off with an instructor and the result was less than satisfactory. I was contemplating asking them for a refund but I decided to give my second class with a different instructor a shot and they totally reversed my opinion. Elmer - my main instructor was simply awesome! I learnt so much and in such a steady pace! He'e incredibly patient and goes over every single question and patch of trouble with utmost sincerity. It was a lesson less and a fun ride more. I learnt parallel parking in less than 10 minutes thanks to him! :) .. Elmer rocks ! \m/ My third lesson was with the owner Gerald. Elmer told me he himself had learnt from Gerald and I noticed uncanny resemblances in their techniques. I also learn that my first instructor was no longer with the school . Gerald was awesome too - very patient, very encouraging and ever supportive. He's always busy and his classes fill up the first, I can see why. He also let me move my 6 hour package to 10! It's best to call the office for scheduling lessons ( I hope their online system is up and running soon! ) and Kayley is very courteous and helpful. They did mix up my schedule once but it was immediately sorted out and Gerald himself called to apologize for the mix-up. I scheduled my remaining lessons with Elmer and was driving like a pro shortly!! :) . I also rented a car from the school for my driving test and Elmer had me go through the driving test ( stricter than the DMV! ) right before I took my test and it helped tons! Also, I think that's why I did better at the DMV ! Overall, anyone who wants to learn how to drive, needs some training or brushing up for skills : this is the place to go! They're awesome and they're the BEST in the business! read more