6 Steps to Safer Test Drives During COVID19

Does your dealership still do test drives? Are your test drives still done with a sales person in the car? How can you make this situation safer? In this episode Ted talks all about test drives in the age of COVID19.
In some places dealerships are not allowed to have a salesperson accompany the customer on a test drive. From a safety standpoint, this is the best approach. But many dealerships are not thrilled about the prospect of a customer taking an inventory vehicle off the lot by themselves.
If you still have the option of doing salesperson accompanied test drives, Ted talks about 6 ways to make it safer. By implementing these 6 rules for the test drive, you can make your test drives safer:
1- Don't allow anyone sick on a test drive. This applies to both the customer and the employee.
2- Limit the numbers. To limit exposure, allow only 1 employee and 1 customer to go on the test drive.
3- Require face coverings. Both customer and employee should were a cloth, non-medical mask to reduce the risk.
4- Require specific placement. If the customer drives, the salesperson should be in the passenger side back seat. Vice versa, if the salesperson is driving, the customer should be in the passenger side back seat. This gives maximum spacing between the occupants.
5- Maximize ventilation by keeping front and rear windows down. You want to create a negative pressure gradient to pull air into the cabin through the front windows and out through the back windows.
6- Make sure cleaning and disinfection happen. After the vehicle returns, let it air out before it receives a thorough cleaning and disinfection.
Resources to help:
What Rideshare, Taxi, Limo, and other Passenger Drivers-for-Hire Need to Know about COVID-19 - By the CDC
Cleaning and Disinfection for Non-emergency Transport Vehicles - By the CDC
CarDealerU Dealership Cleaning and Disinfection Program