What is a Bicycle Dooring Accident?
In April of 2018, a man was riding in the bike lane on Alameda Avenue in Burbank when a car door was opened right in front of him. He struck the car door, was thrown from his bicycle, and was then run over by a pick-up truck. He succumbed to his injuries a few short minutes later in the hospital, reported the LA Times.
What is Dooring?
“Dooring” is when a bicyclist or motorcyclist (moped, skateboard, or scooter rider) is riding near parked cars and someone exiting one of those parked cars opens their door right in front of the biker. The bicycle or motorcycle hits the door and the rider typically flies over their handlebars and over the door. Although there are many advantages to bike lanes, putting them right next to a line of parallel parked cars is a literal accident waiting to happen.
Dooring Accidents Can Be Deadly
Unfortunately, what happened to Lenny Trinh is not an anomaly. In the UK, almost half of cyclists say the fear of dooring accidents has made them ride on the roads less or not at all. In San Francisco, dooring is the second most common way that cyclists die in crashes. In Boston, dooring was the #2 biggest threat to bicycle couriers. In Brussels, dooring was the #1 cause of bicycle crashes.
Is Dooring Illegal?
California Vehicle Code Section 22517 says: “No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless it…can be done without interfering with the movement of such traffic.” So, yes, dooring is against the law, even if it is completely unintentional or done absent-mindedly.
Beverly Hills Bicycle Injury Attorneys for your Dooring Accident
Jalilvand Law is a diverse, progressive Beverly Hills law firm handling a wide variety of injury cases, including dooring accidents. Let us fight for your maximum pay-out possible while you focus on recovering. Reach out to us today to set up a free virtual or in-person appointment to discuss your options and case strategy.
