‘How Does This Happen?:' Nissan Customer Backs Into a Parked Car During Test Drive. Then the Salesman Pulls the Security Footage

'Such a pretty Sentra too.'

Photo by: TikTok

Steve Ecker

By: Steve Ecker

Jun 24, 2025 at 9:00am ET

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Test driving cars is an essential (and potentially the most fun) part of the car-buying experience.

During the process, you’ll gain an understanding of what feels right and wrong, what new technology is useful, and what additions you can go without.

In a viral video, the general manager of O'Neil Nissan, Drew Pearlman (@drewdoesdeals1), reveals how a customer’s test drive turned south after the car ended up backing into another vehicle parked in the dealership lot.

The TikTok has more than 21,000 views as of this writing.

Test Drive Gone Wrong

In his post, Pearlman shows how one of his cars ended up crashing into a customer's car in his dealership lot.

“It’s been one of those days. Now I gotta figure out who was driving this,” Pearlman remarks.

To find out exactly how this happened, Pearlman went to the security footage. In the footage, the test car appeared to be parked until it started slowly rolling backward. The slow roll gradually turned into smashing into another car in the lot.

“I’m guessing the customer never put the car in park,” Pearlman theorizes.

The unattended car brought up many questions for viewers.

How Does This Happen?

Before departing the vehicle, the customer never pushed the gear shifter all the way up to park and left it in reverse, says Pearlman.

People who watched Perlman’s TikTok were left questioning: How on Earth is this possible?

“How did they not hear the loud chime it’s making to let them know it’s not in park?” one asked.

“How do people get out of a car not in park? Doesn't the car keep rolling?” a second questioned.

Both Questions Bring Up Valid Points

Typically, cars will alert drivers with a ding noise before exiting when the car is not placed in park. A loud sound will trigger if the car is left in drive, neutral, or reverse once any door opens. This sound will often grab the driver's attention to inform them that the car has not been properly set in park.

Additionally, a car that is accidentally left in drive will typically continue rolling, according to an expert on Quora.

The expert also notes, “Unless there is a mechanical problem with linkage from the shifter to the ignition tumbler, you shouldn’t be able to turn the key back far enough to remove the key from the ignition tumbler unless the transmission is in Park. This may not be applicable, however, in some older models or models with console shifting instead of a column shifter.”

What Happens When You Crash During a Test Drive at the Dealership?

According to Progressive, if you're buying from a dealer, its insurance will usually cover damage and injuries if you have an accident during a test drive. Dealerships are legally required to have fleet insurance on the inventory on their lots.

Test drivers are usually considered covered drivers in the event of an accident. Additionally, your own personal car insurance coverage will transfer to any vehicle you are test-driving.

Cellino Law reports that who covers the accident will depend on the situation. Some dealerships may require test drivers to sign a liability form that removes the dealership from any liability in the event of an accident. If a test driver ends up signing this liability waiver, the responsibility for the collision or damage is theirs.

Now, if a minor accident happens like the one in the viral post, the dealership will typically absorb the costs of property damage or losses through its fleet insurance. This move is done so the dealership doesn’t lose a customer over something minor when coverage is available.

Lastly, if the accident is clearly the driver's fault, the dealership may go after the test driver and have their insurance cover the damage. Each dealership will handle each accident differently, and the choices it makes will depend on the damage to the vehicle, where the accident took place, and whether any injuries were incurred.

What do you think?

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Motor1 has contacted the O'Neil Nissan dealership via email and Drew Pearlman via TikTok direct message. We'll be sure to update this article if we hear back.

Update July 11: In a message to Motor1, Pearlman explained, "The customer left the vehicle in reverse, it did make an audible noise, but because she was hard of hearing, she did not hear it and it just rolled right back into the other vehicle not a big deal."