A light-emitting element driving circuit comprises a current supplier serially connected to a light-emitting element and operative to supply a current to the light-emitting element; and a switching unit operative to control switching between the states of the current supplied to the light-emitting element from the current supplier. The switching unit includes a current path consisting of a diode and a semiconductor switching element. The diode is connected in parallel with the light-emitting element and in a forward direction directed from an anode to a cathode of the light-emitting element. The semiconductor switching element is connected serially to the diode and operative to switch between the states of conductive and non-conductive based on a control signal. A voltage drop across the current path when the semiconductor switching element is made conductive is determined lower than a forward voltage of the light-emitting element when it emits light.