UPDATE: A dealer may resume permitting test drives, at its discretion.

The
Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles has urged extreme caution should a dealer proceed with offering test drives to potential customers. The Commissioner recognized a dealer’s need to conduct test drives, however, during PAUSE, it can only be offered under the proviso that various precautionary and procedural steps be taken by dealers. He made specific reference to health requirements regarding the sanitation of vehicles in accordance with the Department of Health and CDC Guidelines.

Best Practice: A dealer should only allow the customer to operate the vehicle without a dealership employee and maintain a log of all test drive activity which includes customer’s names, vehicle
description, sanitizing measures in detail, by who performed and if the vehicle was purchased. It is strongly advised that a dealer should first notify its insurance company and consult with them
regarding the intent to commence unaccompanied test drives and obtain satisfactory consent that such practice will not impair its coverage or increase its premiums. Should a dealer wish to refrain from offering test drives during PAUSE, an alternative would be to offer to review the vehicle remotely with the customer on the manufacturer’s website to address any questions that he or she may have.