What is dooring?

Dooring is a type of bicycle/e-bike accident involving a vehicle’s open doors and an approaching cyclist. During these accidents, a driver or a passenger opens their door into a bike lane, street, or sidewalk, blocking the path of an approaching bike or e-bike. The cyclist is unable to swerve out of the way in time, striking the door at full speed.

Dooring can also occur if the door to a vehicle is left open for a prolonged period of time, obstructing a bike lane or an otherwise clear path for cyclists.

Why Is Dooring So Dangerous for Bay Area Cyclists?

When a cyclist hits the door in their path, it can cause potentially serious injuries, including:

Cycling is a very real danger for cyclists throughout the Bay Area. Vehicles may be parked along the curb near designated bike lanes; some vehicles may be double-parked in bike lanes. Dooring can also happen in quiet residential neighborhoods and suburbs if drivers or passengers are not paying attention before they exit a vehicle.

Cyclists may try to swerve out of the way to avoid the door, which can cause the cyclist to turn into traffic or lose control of the bike or e-bike.

Does California Have Laws About Dooring?

Yes. California Vehicle Code 22517 (CVC 22517) states:

“No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of such traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.”

Who Is at Fault in a Dooring Accident?

In many dooring accidents, the person who opens the door of a vehicle into a cyclist’s path is usually the at-fault party.

An investigation can determine who should be held liable for your injuries, bike repair or replacement, and other losses associated with the dooring accident.

Cyclists Can Still Seek Compensation If They Are Partly at Fault

If you are a cyclist who shares some liability in a dooring accident, you can still seek compensation in the state of California. This is because California operates on a pure comparative negligence rule.

Under pure comparative negligence, you can seek compensation if you were partly or mostly at fault for an accident. Your compensation will be reduced based on your share of blame.

How Can I Avoid Getting Doored?

While riding your bike or e-bike, consider the following safety advice to help prevent dooring accidents:

  • Stick to the left of the bike lane, maintaining four feet from vehicles if possible
  • Ride safely in an adjacent lane away from parked vehicles if there is no bike lane or if the lane is too close to parked vehicles
  • Pay attention to vehicle occupants in nearby vehicles, and if hazard lights are on
  • Ride slowly while near any parked or double-parked vehicles
  • Use your bell or speak up to notify drivers or passengers of your approach

What Should I Do If I Get Doored?

If you get doors, be sure to:

  • Call 911
  • Exchange information with the driver or passenger
  • Get contact info from any witnesses
  • Take photos of the accident site, your bike, the vehicle, and your injuries
  • Seek immediate medical attention
  • Contact the Redwood City bike/e-bike accident lawyers of Danko Meredith