Cycling guide: Opening the car door: Who is to blame if an accident happens here?

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When I overtook a parked car, I had to avoid a car door that suddenly opened. How can I best avoid such situations and who is to blame if an accident occurs?
R. Bigler, Thun

Every year in Switzerland, around 75 cyclists are injured – a dozen seriously – after carelessly crashing into an opened car door. Traffic regulations clearly state that those entering and exiting the road must not put road users at risk and that particular attention must be paid to following traffic when opening doors. Therefore, it is clear that the responsibility belongs to those in the vehicle.

Such accidents are largely preventable with a simple trick called “Dutch grip”. Passengers open the car door with their right hand instead of their left; this means they automatically turn left and look behind them (find out more about the Dutch door handle here). In the Netherlands, learner drivers have been learning handling for decades on their way to driving skills.

But cyclists can also do their part to avoid a collision when the door is opened: Ride over parked cars, at least 70 centimeters from the end of the handlebars. This leaves a little more space and time to take evasive action if necessary. You can find more valuable tips for daily cycling at pro-velo.ch.

Source: Blick