Riverside Driving Academy
(519) 258-0142
A driver at the wheel on a quiet suburban road during a lesson
Windsor & Essex County · Since 2007

Learn to Drive.
Drive With Confidence.

Professional driving instruction designed to help new drivers build real-world confidence and prepare for their G2 and G road tests.

View programs
MTO ApprovedLicensed BDE course provider
3,000+ Students TrainedAcross Windsor & Essex
Experienced InstructorsAvg. 12 years teaching
Flexible SchedulingEvenings & weekends
Our reputation

Helping New Drivers Become Confident Drivers.

Family-run out of Windsor since 2007, teaching the same intersections, expressways and test routes your road test will use.

3,142Students trained since 2007
18Years teaching in Essex County
MTOApproved Beginner Driver Education
4.9Average rating from 312 reviews
12Communities served locally

“My daughter was terrified of highway driving. Four lessons later she merged onto the E.C. Row like she'd been doing it for years.”

Karen M. — parent, South Windsor

“They didn't just teach me to pass. They taught me how to actually handle a car in traffic, in the rain, at night.”

Josh T. — G2 graduate, Tecumseh
Programs

Choose the Right Program

Every program is taught one-on-one in a dual-control vehicle, with pickup and drop-off included anywhere in our service area.

01

Beginner Driving Lessons

For brand-new G1 holders. We start in quiet residential areas and build up to busy roads at a pace that suits you — no pressure, no shouting.

Ages 16+G1 requiredOne-on-one
  • 60 or 90-minute in-car sessions
  • Free pickup and drop-off
  • Written progress notes after each lesson
$65/hour 5-lesson package $310
Most chosen
02

MTO-Approved Beginner Driver Education

The full ministry-approved BDE course. Graduates can take the G2 road test after 8 months instead of 12, and most insurers offer a discount on completion.

20h classroom10h in-car10h flexible
  • Ministry course completion certificate
  • Weekend or evening classroom options
  • Insurance discount letter included
$749 HST included · payment plans available
03

G2 Test Preparation

Focused practice on the exact manoeuvres examiners score: parallel parking, three-point turns, roadside stops and observation habits — on the routes used by the Windsor DriveTest centre.

4 hoursTest-route practiceMock test
  • Full mock road test with scoring sheet
  • Vehicle available for the test itself
  • Pre-test warm-up on test day
$259 Car rental for test day $180
04

G Test Preparation

Highway-focused coaching for the full licence: merging, lane changes at speed, expressway exits and emergency handling on the 401 and E.C. Row.

4 hoursHighway hoursMock test
  • 401 and E.C. Row expressway practice
  • Vehicle available for the test itself
  • Confidence work for anxious drivers
$299 Car rental for test day $180
An instructor coaching a student driver from the passenger seat during a lesson
1:1Every lesson is one student, one instructor — never shared.
Why choose us

More Than Just Learning the Basics.

Passing the test matters. Being safe on Dougall Avenue at 5pm in February matters more. We teach for both.

  • Patient, experienced instructorsLicensed, police-checked, and used to nervous first-timers.
  • Real-world driving experienceRain, snow, dusk and rush hour — not just empty parking lots.
  • Highway and city drivingExpressway hours on the 401 and E.C. Row included in G prep.
  • Road-test preparationWe practise the actual DriveTest routes and score you like an examiner would.
  • Flexible schedulingEvenings, weekends and school-break intensives.
  • Pickup and drop-offFrom home, school or work, anywhere in Windsor–Essex.
How it works

Three steps to your first lesson.

01

Choose Your Program

Tell us where you're starting from and we'll recommend the right package — or build one around your test date.

02

Book Your Lessons

Pick times that fit around school, shifts or work. Reschedule free with 24 hours' notice.

03

Get On The Road

Your instructor picks you up at the door. You drive, they coach, and you leave with notes on what to practise.

An open road stretching ahead on a clear day
Road test preparation

Got Your Test Coming Up?

Build confidence behind the wheel and prepare for the roads you'll actually be tested on.

Call (519) 258-0142
Windsor & Chatham test routes Use our car for the test Mock test with examiner scoring
Reviews

What Windsor Families Say

4.9 312 Google reviews · 96% of our students pass on their first attempt

Dave picked my son up from school every Tuesday for six weeks. He passed his G2 first try and now he actually shoulder-checks without being told.

Karen M.South Windsor

I'm 34 and had never driven. I was embarrassed about it. Priya never once made me feel slow — we just kept going until it clicked.

Amanda R.LaSalle

The mock test was harder than the real one, which is exactly what I needed. Knew every turn on the route before test day.

Josh T.Tecumseh

Booked the BDE course for both my kids. Same instructor, same standard, two years apart. That consistency is worth paying for.

Michael D.Belle River

Marco spoke Italian with my mother on the phone and English with me in the car. Small thing, but it made the whole family comfortable.

Gina P.Riverside

Failed my G twice with another school. Two highway sessions here and I passed. They actually diagnose what you're doing wrong.

Ryan K.Amherstburg
Instructors

Learn From Experienced Instructors

Every instructor is MTO-licensed, police-checked, and has taught in Windsor–Essex for at least eight years.

Dave Kowalczyk, senior driving instructor

Dave Kowalczyk

Senior Instructor · 21 yrs

Founded the school in 2007 after fifteen years as a commercial driver. Teaches the highway and winter-driving sessions.

Languages: English, Polish
Priya Sandhu, driving instructor

Priya Sandhu

Instructor · 11 yrs

Specialises in nervous and adult learners. Known for the calmest voice in the passenger seat you'll ever hear.

Languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi
Marco Ferraro, driving instructor

Marco Ferraro

Instructor · 14 yrs

Runs the BDE classroom sessions and most G2 test prep. Has the DriveTest routes memorised down to the lane markings.

Languages: English, Italian
Sam Younes, driving instructor

Sam Younes

Instructor · 8 yrs

Teaches evenings and weekends across east Windsor and Tecumseh. Former fleet safety trainer.

Languages: English, Arabic
Service area

Windsor & Essex County

Free pickup and drop-off throughout the county. If you're outside these communities, call us — we can usually arrange a meeting point.

Windsor
Tecumseh
LaSalle
Amherstburg
Essex
Lakeshore
Belle River
Kingsville
Leamington
Harrow
McGregor
Emeryville
Questions

Before You Book

Still unsure? Call us at (519) 258-0142 — a real instructor answers.

You need to be at least 16 and hold a valid Ontario G1 licence before your first in-car lesson. You can start the classroom portion of the BDE course while you're studying for the G1 — many students do both at once.

Yes, at no extra cost anywhere in our service area. We'll pick you up from home, school or work, and drop you back at whichever address you prefer. Just tell us when you book.

We do. Test-day vehicle rental is $180 and includes a 45-minute warm-up drive beforehand, the use of our insured dual-control car for the test, and your instructor waiting at the centre. Book it at least two weeks ahead — test-day slots fill quickly.

It depends on how much practice you're getting between lessons. Most brand-new drivers are test-ready after 10 to 15 hours of instruction plus regular practice with a parent or friend. If you're only preparing for a test you've already booked, four hours is usually enough. After your first lesson your instructor will give you an honest estimate.

Both. G2 prep focuses on parallel parking, three-point turns, roadside stops and observation habits on the local test routes. G prep is highway-weighted — merging, lane changes at speed and expressway exits on the 401 and E.C. Row. Each package includes a full mock test scored the way an examiner would score it.

Use the booking form on this page or call (519) 258-0142. We'll confirm your first lesson within one business day, usually the same afternoon. No deposit is required for single lessons; course packages are payable in two instalments.

All of Windsor and Essex County: Windsor, Tecumseh, LaSalle, Amherstburg, Essex, Lakeshore, Belle River, Kingsville, Leamington, Harrow, McGregor and Emeryville. If you're just outside, call us — we can usually arrange a meeting point.

Get started

Ready To Get On The Road?

Start building the skills and confidence you need to become a safe, independent driver.

Call us

Book your lesson

Four quick details and we'll confirm your time within one business day.

Or call (519) 258-0142 — Mon–Fri 8am–8pm.