About Rivadavia

Welcome to Rivadavia, a family owned and operated state-licensed driving school proudly serving from San Francisco to the mid-Peninsula including Burlingame, S.San Francisco, and Daly City. We have specialized in defensive driving instruction and nervous individuals for 25 years. Our exceptional service and positive reviews are expressions of the genuine care we have for our students.

  • Hablamos español
  • DMV licensed
  • Fully insured and bonded
  • Brand new luxury vehicles equipped with the latest safety features
  • Experienced professional instructors

Instructors

Meet the new generation of Rivadavia instructors!

Macarena – School Operator

*Unavailable * Macarena is a master teacher with over 15 years of experience with Rivadavia Driving School. She’s an excellent communicator whose patience and encouragement will reassure nervous drivers. She is especially good at identifying a person’s learning style, tailoring her approach to the needs of each individual. Her background as a yoga teacher compliments her zen-like teaching style and her students have a 95% pass rate on their first try. Book Macarena for lessons in the Peninsula and San Francisco.

Emilio – School Owner

Limited availability
Emilio is another master teacher with 30 years of teaching experience in the SF Bay Area. He founded Rivadavia Driving School back in 1994 with his brother Miguel. His focus on technique and building skill through repetition will turn anyone into a pro driver. Charismatic and courteous, Emilio is notorious for using humor as an effective way to encourage and ease his clients’ nerves. In 30 years, he has never had an accident while instructing a student. Book Emilio for lessons in San Francisco.

Yancarlos Santos Lopez – Driving Instructor

Yancarlos Santos Lopez has six years of experience in the art of defensive driving skill building. He learned the renowned Rivadavia teaching approach during his apprenticeship with Emilio Guerrero and Macarena Guerrero. Yan Carlos, known for his cool and calm demeanor, strongly believes that patience and consistency are key components to the learning process. This is why he encourages his students to take their time when learning defensive driving skills. His ability to create a safe and tranquil learning environment has helped nervous drivers become confident behind the wheel. When he is not training students, he spends his time playing soccer with his friends.

Javier Nunez – Driving Instructor


Javier Nunez is a Rivadavia driving instructor that communicates with his students to discover which of their abilities require further development. During his training, he learned that repetition is key to teaching the art of defensive driving. By repeating driving techniques, the student is able to build safe driving habits. He encourages his students to make mistakes and to consider their mistakes as learning opportunities. When he is not instructing, you will find Javier watching soccer matches with his family and friends.