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Raising Awareness for Car Door Safety: Protecting Cyclists on the Road

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Every day, cyclists face the risk of being injured or worse when motorists fail to take into account their safety. With 35% of drivers on the road admitting they don’t look for cyclists before opening their car door, it’s clear that car-door collision awareness needs to be raised.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how car door safety can prevent serious injuries for cyclists and share ways you can become an advocate for safer roads.

The Dangers of Car Doors Opening Unexpectedly & Accidentally Striking Cyclists

One of the biggest dangers cyclists face when riding on roads is the risk of being struck by a person opening door unexpectedly. This type of accident, known as “dooring”, often occurs when a driver or passenger opens their car door without checking for cyclists coming in the other direction.

What are the consequences of a car door opening?

When a car door opens unexpectedly and strikes a cyclist, the consequences can be devastating. The most serious injuries that can result from dooring include broken bones, head trauma, spinal cord damage, even death. Other less severe but still concerning long-term effects may include permanent disability or disfigurement due to scarring from the impact.

Common Causes of Car Door-Related Injuries

The most common causes of car door-related injuries can be attributed to drivers and passengers not properly monitoring their surroundings and failing to check their rearview mirrors. This often means that they don’t pay attention to bicyclists coming in the opposite direction, which can lead to accidents.

With more cyclists on the road than ever, it’s important that motorists take care to look for them before opening their car doors.

Strategies for Drivers to Promote Safety on the Road

There are several ways drivers can implement to promote safety on the road for cyclists, including:

  • Always look out for cyclists before opening your car door.
  • Allow plenty of space between your car and cyclists on the road.
  • Make sure your passengers understand the importance of checking behind them before they exit the vehicle.
  • If you’re in a car park or other confined area, open the door slowly and cautiously to avoid hitting any cyclists.
  • Use the ‘Dutch Reach’ when exiting the vehicle – this is a technique where you reach across your body with the farthest hand to open the door, which allows you to turn and look behind your car before opening it.

 

Be An Advocate for Cycling Safety

In addition to these strategies, drivers can also help to raise awareness for car door safety by talking to their friends and family about the importance of being aware of cyclists on the road.

They can also share information on social media and other outlets to spread the word, and connect with local cycling advocacy groups to help create safer roads for cyclists.

Tips for Cyclists to Stay Safe Around Open Vehicle Doors

Cyclists can also take steps to protect themselves from car door accidents by following these tips:

  • Be aware of your surroundings when cycling near vehicles.
  • Ride in the middle of a lane, rather than close to parked vehicles.
  • Always look over your shoulder before passing parked cars or slowing down.
  • Wear a helmet and other protective gear to reduce the chance of injury if you’re struck by an open door.

 

Conclusion

Car door accidents are dangerous and can cause serious injuries and even death to cyclists. By educating both drivers and cyclists on best practises for car door safety, we can help to reduce the risk of these accidents occurring. Drivers should be aware of their surroundings when they open their vehicle doors, while cyclists should also stay alert and maintain a safe distance from parked vehicles.

If you’ve experienced a bicycle injury due to a person opening door, you could be entitled to personal injury compensation. At Cycle SOS, our expert team of solicitors can offer a range of services, such as expert legal consultation, support in negotiating settlements, and recovery of medical expenses and loss of earnings.

To learn more about our services or how to start your claim, call 0808 100 9995 and speak to one of our specialist solicitors. We’re here to help. You can email us or schedule a callback.

Written By:

Emily Pheysey

Litigation Executive

Emily has over 7 years of experience in the legal sector, handling road traffic accident claims to recover compensation and support her clients. Her focus is to ensure all clients feel comfortable and at ease with the claims process so that they can focus on their recovery.

Emily considers rapport to be an essential part of the role and strives to always provide excellent client care.

Away from work, Emily enjoys spending time with her family and friends and travelling as much possible.

Diane Holderness

Litigation Executive

Diane is a Ministry of Justice (TOJ) Team Leader within our Cycle Department. She has 11 years’ experience managing road traffic accident claims, and 6 years’ experience managing MOJ claims.

Diane enjoys a challenge and always strives for the very best results for her customers; something that is clear in the way her team continually adapts its strategies in order to secure the most desired outcome. Diane has worked her way through the legal ranks here, and is proud to now have a strong, specialist team that is committed to customer satisfaction.

Diane believes that happy clients make a happy working environment, and it is this that ensures a productive and efficient workforce.

Nina Haddock

Chartered Legal Executive

Nina has over 30 years’ experience in the legal sector. She specialises in recovering compensation for injury claimants as a result of road traffic accidents. Her focus for each and every claim is to help her clients secure the funding that they need to pay for ongoing treatment and support.

Nina became a CILEX Fellow in 2006 and now helps her clients and their families at a time when they have been through a traumatic experience, and everything they hold dear to them appears to be changing.

One case Nina is particularly proud of is supporting a client who had successfully sought asylum in the UK, following a road traffic accident. The claim was successfully pursued through the MIB and the client was left with significant injuries. Her client was able to use the compensation to aid family members with their applications to seek asylum in the UK.

Julian Fox

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Julian qualified as a Solicitor in 2005 and has worked in all areas of personal injury since 2000. Julian has a well-rounded understanding of personal injury law, having represented both claimants and defendants.

Julian always aims for maximum damages to meet his clients’ needs for injury and rehabilitation expenses, and can often secure interim payments to help meet clients’ financial needs. Julian is highly proactive in ensuring cases are progressed, ensuring a timely conclusion.

When not at the office, Julian is a keen cyclist, both on roads and virtually -he will often do an hour of ‘Zwifting’ in the mornings before starting work.

Richard Atherton

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Richard has 12 years of legal experience and qualified as a Solicitor in February 2014. He has been a Team Manager with us since 2019. Throughout his career, Richard has specialised in personal injury, handling an array of Road Traffic Accident cases, in addition to employer and public liability.

Richard prides himself on his very strong strategic and planning skills, which come into their own in complex injury cases where more technical arguments are involved. On every case, he is committed to ensuring that his clients receive full compensation for their injuries.

Away from work, Richard enjoys sport; he is a season ticket holder at St Helens Rugby Club and a Liverpool FC fan. Not only a spectator, Richard also likes going to play golf as often as he can.

Dave Gardner

Litigation Executive

Dave has over 20 years of experience in the legal sector. His specialism is personal injury and he has dealt with hundreds of cycling injury claims during his career. Excellent client care and communication is paramount to Dave. He prides himself on being accessible and available, attending court hearings where damages are in dispute to ensure the best outcome for his clients. One case Dave is particularly proud of is when he supported an elderly client who suffered serious injuries following a road traffic incident. The police had not taken any action against the defendant, so Dave had to be proactive and act within a 24-hour window. The case proceeded and the client was in receipt of £30,000 in damages, which he would not have been entitled to had the client not approached Dave. He is also an avid supporter of Glasgow Rangers and travelled abroad on many occasions to see them play in European competitions.

Gerard Horton

Partner

Gerard is a Senior Solicitor at Cycle SOS. In his 13 years of experience, Gerard has built a national reputation in the catastrophic injury sector, dealing with high value and complex cases. Alongside his legal role, Gerard supports several charities including Headway Central Lancashire, Northwest Regional Spinal Injuries Centre and spinal injury charity, Back Up.

Julia Eyton

Partner

Julia brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Cycle SOS team.

Specialising in representing those who have had life changing injuries, Julia handles some of the most serious and complex personal injury cases both within Cycle SOS and nationally.

She often works on high value claims and is skilled in winning complex liability cases.

NADIA KERR

Partner

Nadia has over 30 years of legal expertise and has represented hundreds of vulnerable road users. With a focus on ensuring timely rehabilitation, speedy repair or replacement of bikes and kit, and securing fair compensation, Nadia is committed to advocating for justice and client rights. Alongside her legal career, Nadia actively participates in national campaigns to benefit vulnerable road users and acts as a Trustee/Director for the national cycling charity, Cycling UK. Nadia was named in Cycling UK’s ‘100 women’ and was a founding member, now running a women’s cycling group, TeamGlow in South Manchester. Among her many achievements, Nadia takes pride in her spot on BBC Breakfast, where she provided expert commentary on long term government funding for pothole repairs.

Caroline Morris

DIRECTOR OF SERIOUS INJURY

Caroline has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years, recovering more than £56 million in damages during that time, to help clients rebuild their lives after injury.

Caroline is committed to achieving rehabilitation options early, meaning her clients benefits from the best care and treatment at the earliest stage possible.