Last year, Great Britain added a new instruction to its driving rulebook when it mandated that individuals use the Dutch Reach when exiting their parallel-parked cars. The Dutch Reach requires drivers to use their inside hand to open their doors. When a driver reaches across their body to open the car door, their body turns toward the road and the driver is forced to look over their shoulder. In this action, they are more likely to see an oncoming bicyclist and prevent a dangerous dooring accident.
Dooring happens when a driver opens their door into the path of a bicyclist, and this simple act of negligence can have devastating and deadly results. Across the United States and right here in Florida, men, women, and children can be hurt by dooring when they crash into car doors that have been opened into their paths. The Dutch Reach initiative may be a useful tool in combating these preventable and harmful forms of accidents.
Victims of bicycle accidents can suffer serious injuries when they are involved in collisions with cars. It is often bike accident victims who bear the physical burdens of these run-ins and too often it is the fault of negligent and reckless drivers who put their victims in the paths of danger. After suffering injuries in a car accident, a victim may not know their options for getting back on their feet.
Personal injury lawyers who support accident victims can advise their clients on how best to approach dooring accidents as well as other forms of collisions. With their lawyers’ help, many victims can find reasonable solutions to aid them in their recoveries and compensate them for what they have lost.
