What happens if you hit a cyclist with your car door?

One of the biggest and most significant threats to cyclists comes from the risk of dooring. Dooring is an accident in which the driver of a parked or stopped car opens their door into the oncoming path of a cyclist. Whatever the outcome, a dooring usually results in a cyclist injury compensation claim.

How much room should be left between a vehicle and a cyclist?

Leave a safe distance of not less than three (3) feet between the vehicle and the bicyclist and maintain such clearance until safely past the bicycle. Leave a safe distance when passing the bicycle, and maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.

Is car dooring illegal?

Rule 269(3) of the National Transport Commission Regulations 2006 states that it is an offence to cause a hazard to a person or a vehicle by opening a car door, leaving a door of a vehicle open or getting off, or out of, a vehicle. The description is wide enough to include damage to people as well as property.

What is being doored?

Dooring is the act of opening a motor vehicle door into the path of another road user. Doorings can be avoided if the driver checks their side mirror before opening the door, or performs a shoulder check.

What happens when a cyclist is hit by a car door?

When a cyclist is “doored,” this means that a motorist or passenger opened a car door into the cyclist. Generally, a cyclist will collide with the open car door while riding down a line of parked cars. Cyclists may also swerve to avoid car doors, which can cause them to be struck by other vehicles.

Is the door opener liable if a cyclist gets doored?

Most traffic laws require cyclists to ride in bike lanes or to the right of traffic, which places them perilously close to parked cars. Drivers and passengers are required to check for bicycle traffic before opening a door. Therefore, the door opener is usually liable if a cyclist gets doored.

Is it safer to get doored on a bike?

As scary as getting doored is, it may be safer than other collisions. According to an analysis of bike accident data, “80.04% of those cyclists who were doored were injured, while 94.40% of those in non-dooring crashes were injured.”

What are the rules of the road for cyclists?

The Rules of the Road. Most traffic laws require cyclists to ride in bike lanes or to the right of traffic, which places them perilously close to parked cars. Drivers and passengers are required to check for bicycle traffic before opening a door. Therefore, the door opener is usually liable if a cyclist gets doored.

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