As she celebrates the 20th anniversary of her company, Sofia Hotlen, owner of Sofia Hotlen Driving School, estimates she has put 40,000 drivers on the road.

Hotlen and her late brother, Miguel Guerrero, established the school in 1988 as an offshoot of the family business in the Bay Area.

Hotlen said she focuses on safe streets and well-trained drivers and has worked with students from Truckee to Roseville.

“I teach most of the students myself and make sure they’re very well prepared for the driving test,” she said.

Although most of her students are quick learners, Hotlen is prepared for anything.

“I have the only school in the Sacramento Valley with dual brakes and gas pedals for driver and instructor safety,” she said.

The driver-training program includes three two-hour lessons. But they’re spread over six months, allowing at least 20 hours of practice time between sessions.

The first lesson covers hand-over-hand steering, braking and practicing right and left turns.

“If they can handle the car properly, we take them into traffic,” Hotlen said.

Students tackle parking, defensive driving and freeway driving in the second session.

The third lesson is a time to review weak points, practice parallel parking and take a mock test.

Hotlen has had some close calls, but no serious accidents. The main problem she sees initially is confusing the pedals — a tendency to accelerate instead of braking.

“If they’ve had the classroom portion, they’re pretty knowledgeable about the rules of the road,” she said. “Some of the students are fearful. But the ones who are really willing and want to do it, within two hours they are driving.”

Maria Cortes, who works at Tio Pepe’s restaurant in Old Town Auburn, has sent all four of her children through the program, as well as four nieces and nephews.

Her youngest son, Jonathan, has his third lesson next week.

So far, all of them passed their driving test on the first try.

“That’s why I like Sofia,” Cortes said. “She’s doing a good job with my kids.”

Holly Kenoyer, 16, a Placer High sophomore, just completed her driving training program with Hotlen and is set to take her test on Feb. 2.

“I like the freedom and I feel older,” Kenoyer said about learning how to drive.

But the experience had one minor surprise.

“Turning was harder than I expected,” she said.

Kenoyer had some advice for those about to get behind the wheel for the first time.

“Stay calm. It’s not that bad,” she said.

Hotlen, who was born in Santiago, Chile and began teaching in elementary schools when she was only 16, said her company also gives lessons to adults and serves the elderly community in Auburn.

“I do charge them a bit less because of their age,” she said in an e-mail.

Gloria Young can be reached at gloriay@goldcountrymedia.com or comment at Auburnjournal.com.