A driving circuit including: a voltage detector that detects the sum voltage of a positive bias voltage and a negative bias voltage, the negative bias voltage or the positive bias voltage; and a switching element that is connected to the control terminal of a power element and the negative side of a negative-voltage power supply; wherein, when the value of the detection target voltage becomes lower than a voltage setting value or when a voltage between the control terminal and the reference terminal in the power element increases in a state where the value of the detection target voltage is lower than the voltage setting value, the voltage detector turns on the switching element to thereby supply, between the above terminals in the power element, a voltage of 0V or lower.