A dooring accident happens when someone opens a vehicle door into the path of a bicycle. The car itself doesn’t strike the bicyclist. Instead, the door opens directly ahead of them, and the cyclist then collides with the open door, which has no give because it swings out into the street.
These accidents can be very dangerous because they are sudden and unexpected. Someone on a bike may be riding at 20 miles an hour when they strike the door, and hitting a stationary object with relatively little protection—even if they’re wearing a helmet—can lead to broken bones, internal injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and more. But can these accidents be so bad that they’re actually fatal?
Other vehicles may also be part of the equation
These certainly can be fatal accidents, and what often happens is that the rider is hit by a second vehicle.
For instance, there was a case in California where a movie producer was riding his bike to the gym. Someone opened a door into his path, he struck the car and was knocked into the road. A vehicle coming up the road behind him had no chance to avoid him and struck the cyclist, leading to fatal injuries.
A similar accident recently happened in New York. There, a man was riding an electric bicycle when a driver opened their door into his path. He too was knocked into the road by the collision, and a truck happened to be passing by at the same time. He was run over and suffered fatal crush injuries.
This is why drivers and passengers need to be very careful when opening their doors, always checking to see if a bike is approaching. Even though the car isn’t in motion, serious accidents can take place. Those who have suffered injuries or lost loved ones need to know exactly what legal steps to take to seek appropriate compensation.
