Our older son took driving lessons with ADDS 2 years ago and they were great. When we were signing our second son up for Divers Ed last summer we ended up going with Top Driver because he wanted to do it with friends. What a mistake! Top Driver’s system for signing up for drives is crazy. In nine months he had zero drives and there was no process to waitlist so we withdrew him. When my older son took went to ADDS if there were no available drives they were very helpful about putting him on a wait list. So, I contacted ADDS for help. Andrea efficiently signed him up for all the drives he needed to prepare him for his driving test. She was even willing to work with his sport and school schedule. The drivers were good and after the drive ADDS sent over a report. Do yourself a favor and go to American Defensive Driving School from the get-go. They are professional and take the business of learning to drive seriously. Nice also to work with local Evanston business. Read Less

Great experience for my teen. They were flexible with his driving instructions seeing that he took it in the summer and also had varsity football. I like the fact you schedule your own drive time snd they pick up literally from anywhere you ask. My Son had the opportunity to have different instructors which was great. Also as the school year went on and our lives got busier, having the texts and email reminders of completing the driving hours and someone keeping up with that for you was great. I enjoyed having online access to my Son’s schedule and the different courses. Doug and his staff are very friendly and make the student and parent feel comfortable. Keep doing what you’re doing not just instructing a driver but teaching drivers how to be safe out there! Recommended families. Glad to see the business in my community thriving! Parents take in everything you can in that orientation, that’s important information and will save you time at the Secretary of State. Read Less

I took a refresher course first with Ryan, outstanding instructor but then they switched me to Robert and lost me.  He smelled strongly of cigarette smoke and/or raw garlic.  I have a low tolerance for the former and zero tolerance for the latter.  In addition, he would get on my nerves being a stickler with the speedometer up to the point that it became annoying.  Actually, I passed the driving test later in flying colors and it didn't matter whether I did 34 mph in a 35 mph area.  His attitude, plus the unpleasant odor broke my concentration and I decided to continue my practice somewhere else. Read Less

I got my license with American Defensive Driving Academy as an adult driver. The group of instructors at ADD is a bit of a mixed bag. My first class was with Robert, and his personality unfortunately was far to abrasive for me. He insisted on playing the radio and since he is a smoker he smelled strongly of smoke. I am a person who does not have a tolerance for abusive language, smoking and radio noise so needless to say Robert was not a good fit for me. Robert also kept telling me what a good driver he was, which was really not helpful. I then had a few drives with Jon, who was very pleasant and patient, and I was very calm when I was driving with him. He was unfortunately too forgiving of my mistakes, and recommended that I take the test way before I was ready. So when I went with the owner, Doug, to take the test, Doug very quickly figured out that I was in fact not at all ready to pass this test, so I started to sign up for lessons with Doug. Doug was exactly what I needed. Someone who was going to be patient but also real with me when I was making mistakes. I had a lot of trouble with my left and right turns and he practiced those with me until they were perfect, and only then did we go on to the next skill. It is clear that Doug really enjoys what he does since he would really celebrate with me and give me a fist pump when I was done something good. Since Doug is also the owner of another business he is very busy, and will have to answer calls during drives. It can be difficult to sign up for classes with him since his schedule is very packed. Eventually Doug’s schedule made it hard for me to get lessons in with him, so they moved me to Al, who was perfect for me: he was patient and real about my mistakes, and he gave me his undivided attention. Al also took me on drives around the Elston DMV, so I new the area well when I took the test. It took me three tries but Al was extremely patient and real with me. The two failures came from a weird situation at the DMV and then a very silly mistake on my part, so I don’t think he had me take the test before I was ready. In fact, I was prepared to keep taking classes but Al encouraged me to go take the test, and I feel he made the right call. The girls at the desk, Marie and Scotty, were always very nice to work with. The lessons weren’t cheap, but they were very reasonable about applying the Northwestern discount and 6-hour bundled price even when I bought the lessons in smaller chunks. And I wasn’t charged for the extra lesson on the day I was first scheduled to take the test. (I’m told this was because Doug was running late that morning--otherwise they were always quite prompt). Reflecting on my overall experience, I highly recommend American Defensive Driving, especially Al. Read Less

I got my license with American Defensive Driving Academy as an adult driver. The group of instructors at ADD is a bit of a mixed bag. My first class was with Robert, and his personality unfortunately was far to abrasive for me. He insisted on playing the radio and since he is a smoker he smelled strongly of smoke. I am a person who does not have a tolerance for abusive language, smoking and radio noise so needless to say Robert was not a good fit for me. Robert also kept telling me what a good driver he was, which was really not helpful. I then had a few drives with Jon, who was very pleasant and patient, and I was very calm when I was driving with him. He was unfortunately too forgiving of my mistakes, and recommended that I take the test way before I was ready. So when I went with the owner, Doug, to take the test, Doug very quickly figured out that I was in fact not at all ready to pass this test, so I started to sign up for lessons with Doug. Doug was exactly what I needed. Someone who was going to be patient but also real with me when I was making mistakes. I had a lot of trouble with my left and right turns and he practiced those with me until they were perfect, and only then did we go on to the next skill. It is clear that Doug really enjoys what he does since he would really celebrate with me and give me a fist pump when I was done something good. Since Doug is also the owner of another business he is very busy, and will have to answer calls during drives. It can be difficult to sign up for classes with him since his schedule is very packed. Eventually Doug's schedule made it hard for me to get lessons in with him, so they moved me to Al, who was perfect for me: he was patient and real about my mistakes, and he gave me his undivided attention. Al also took me on drives around the Elston DMV, so I new the area well when I took the test. It took me three tries but Al was extremely patient and real with me. The two failures came from a weird situation at the DMV and then a very silly mistake on my part, so I don't think he had me take the test before I was ready. In fact, I was prepared to keep taking classes but Al encouraged me to go take the test, and I feel he made the right call. The girls at the desk, Marie and Scotty, were always very nice to work with. The lessons weren't cheap, but they were very reasonable about applying the Northwestern discount and 6-hour bundled price even when I bought the lessons in smaller chunks. And I wasn't charged for the extra lesson on the day I was first scheduled to take the test. (I'm told this was because Doug was running late that morning--otherwise they were always quite prompt). Reflecting on my overall experience, I highly recommend American Defensive Driving, especially Al. Read Less

Got my license today as an adult driver and am really pleased with the instruction I got here! I bought the 6 hour package from them (4 classes, you pick when you want to drive according to your schedule) and they come to your house to pick you up. This arrangement was perfect as a college student, plus there's a discount if you use your wildcard (if you go to NU) which really I mostly worked with John during these classes and he was really patient and helpful. I also took a diagnostic drive and took the test with ADDS for an additional fee. They really check your skills then and during the test they get you to drive to the facility and stay with you from start to end. That's when I worked with Doug, the owner and a really warm, funny guy and great instructor who gave me so many great tips as a new driver for improving my skills! I could feel my skills improve so much with his helpful pointers! The people who work the front desk/ phones were also so patient with me when I called to reschedule or ask about various rates. Minus one star for some minor inconveniences. The answering machine isn't really updated with their real hours so calling them can be a pain, and as someone who didn't have access to a car to practice regularly and was totally new to driving, sometimes I felt instruction could be a little bit more pointed to help nail down the basics - what you're supposed to do at each step and why - rather than just directions to kinda drive around for an hour or so. Thank you, ADDS! Read Less

I have two teens, one who is completed the American Defensive Driving School and a second that is currently enrolled and have had great results. Doug, the owner, is a retired state trooper with a great sense of humor and lots of credibility with his students because of his previous line of work as a state trooper. He has collected many stories over the years...many of which my son would repeat at the dinner table. These stories are not only tasteful but had a message about safety that reached my kids. Besides that my kids never complained about being bored and really seemed to get a lot out of the class. I believe that the class made them safer drivers which is something that was worth a lot to me. Especially male teen drivers! We found that American Defensive Driving School was very flexible when my son's soccer team had a conflicting schedule - futsal games on Sunday mornings. I called and in one phone call they changed my son to another weekday class. It is great to feel like you are getting something for your money when your sign up for a driving school, with this in mind, I strongly recommend that you consider this school because they actually teach your children a lot about safe driving! Read Less

Know the owners of the business personally, and if you want your students, young adults and or adults to learn how to safely and properly operate, drive and how to conduct themselves while driving, look no further...American Defensive Driving School should be at the top of your list.  They truly care about their students, supportive staff are available to assist and want to help them during this next phase of their lives.  Pick ADDS, you be completely satisfied. Read Less

Got my license! I took the permit test myself and bf taught me how to drive. I picked it up pretty quickly, but I wanted to get a lesson to see if I'm doing things "properly" before I took the test.They have a website, but I wasn't sure what suited my situation and had questions. I tried to call them during their listed hours several times on different days at different times, but no one ever answered. But there are people at the office if you go down yourself, as I had 5 minutes after calling and getting the machine. -1 for not being reachable over phone. But other than that, on the day of my appointment, Ryan was on time, patient, and answered all the questions I had.   We went and took a practice run that was exactly like the one they gave on my test day (but I think the DMV considers it "cheating"), and he cautioned me about all the little things they look out for and evaluated my driving during the trip there and back to see if I was ready to take the test.I actually ran into my instructor with another student the day of the test, for their pick up/use their car to take the test service and he stayed with the student the entire time before the test. They were the car behind me waiting in line for the actual test, and he seemed to be very engaged, even at 7 in the morning. The other guy passed, too, if that means anything about the quality of their service. Overall, I dont' think I received $100 worth of information in my 1.5-2 hours, but for my purposes I got exactly what I needed, and it was a convenient and pleasant experience overall. Read Less

I'm sure there are people who had good experience with American Defensive Driving School but unfortunately I haven't had that. I have never been this mad at a store or institution before.I purchased the 6 hour (4 lessons) package. When I first went there, I was asked to schedule the 4 classes in advance. The first two classes were good. The instructor was patient and made me feel comfortable behind the wheel. For my third class, I was sick and was in no condition to get my lesson. I called and told them I needed to reschedule. This is where the problem starts. The woman who answered the phone told me I could reschedule but there was no availability until more than 2 weeks later. I knew if I didn't have my lessons soon enough, I would forget most of what I learned. I asked if there was an earlier time. Her response was "That's the first available time. I'm looking at the schedule right now and there is no other time. It's your fault you canceled." If she said "I'm sorry about this but we do have a tight schedule right now. I understand your situation, so, how about if anybody cancels within the two week time-frame, I'll call you to see if you're available. But I hope you understand that I can't guarantee anything."I would have been totally fine with it. But she continued to say "It's your fault. You should have managed your schedule (like I could manage my schedule to get sick)." So I asked her if they provided refunds and she said no. I said I understand that was the policy and I wouldn't be taking any more classes. I also told her that I thought they were understaffed and that I would write about my experience in reviews. She got very annoyed about this comment and said "You should think that us being busy is a good thing since so many people use us. It's a busy season and it's your fault that you canceled."I told her that was the meaning of under-staffing and they should add more instructors during busy seasons.She went on to say "You should be fair when you write the review because it was your fault you cancelled and I tried to give the fasted time possible."I hear "it was your fault" about 5-10 times.If you are absolutely sure you would never reschedule for your classes, you can go with them. Or if you are okay with waiting 2 weeks and hearing "It's your fault" so many times after a cancellation, you'll be perfect for them. Otherwise, please stay away from this place. Read Less

I'm sure there are people who had good experience with American Defensive Driving School but unfortunately I have not. I have never been this mad at a store or institution before. I purchased the 6 hour (4 lessons) package. When I first went there, I was asked to schedule the 4 classes in advance. The first two classes were good. The instructor was patient and made me feel comfortable behind the wheel. For my third class, I was sick and was in no condition to get my lesson. I called and told them I needed to reschedule. This is where the problem starts. The woman who answered the phone told me I could reschedule but there was no availability until more than 2 weeks later. I knew if I didn't have my lessons soon enough, I would forget most of what I learned. I asked if there was an earlier time. Her response was “That’s the first available time. I’m looking at the schedule right now and there is no other time. It’s your fault you canceled.” If she said “I’m sorry about this but we do have a tight schedule right now. I understand your situation, so, how about if anybody cancels within the two week time-frame, I’ll call you to see if you’re available. But I hope you understand that I can’t guarantee anything.” I would have been totally fine with it. But she continued to say “It’s your fault. You should have managed your schedule (like I could manage my schedule to get sick).” So I asked her if they provide refunds and she said no. I said I understand that was the policy and I wouldn't be taking any more classes. I also told her that I thought they were understaffed and that I would write about my experience in reviews. She got very annoyed about this comment and said “You should think that us being busy is a good thing since so many people use us. It’s a busy season and it’s your fault that you canceled.” I told her that was the meaning of under-staffing and they should add more instructors during busy seasons. She went on to say “You should be fair when you write the review because it was your fault you canceled and I tried to give the fastest time possible.” I heard “it was your fault” about 5-10 times. If you are absolutely sure you would never reschedule for your classes, you can go with them. Or if you are okay with waiting 2 weeks and hearing “It’s your fault” so many times after a cancellation, you’ll be perfect for them. Otherwise, please stay away from this place. I was frustrated enough to throw away my expensive classes. Read Less

I had never sat behind the wheel before I signed up with American Defensive Driving School. I took a series of lessons and had the instructor bring me out to the test. It was a great learning experience. Instructors at this school are very helpful. They teach you not just to pass the test but to be a safe driver on the road. Definitely recommend especially for someone who doesn't have a car just like me. Got my license today, yah! Read Less

I used American Defensive Driving School for some practice driving and to take me to take the driving test.  It had been about 4 years since I had driven and my old license was expired.  Also, I needed a car to take the test in.  They picked me up at my home on the morning of the test and we drove around for about an hour to practice.  They took me to the Niles examination facility and showed me the route that the exam would be so I could do a practice run.  When I took the test, it was exactly as he told me it would be, down to every detail.  They were really friendly and professional and offered a great rate.  I definitely recommend them if you have a similar situation - need a car to take the test in or need some practice driving. Read Less