One type of cycling accident is known as “getting doored.” This can lead to severe injuries and may even be fatal. It’s also difficult for cyclists to avoid.
Essentially, getting doored means running into a car’s door as someone opens it into the bicycle’s path. Cyclists may not have any options to avoid such a collision. The driver may open the door suddenly and without any warning, so there’s no time to avoid the crash. Additionally, if the car is parked on the right-hand side of the road, a cyclist may not be able to swerve because they would be driving into oncoming traffic.
Why does this happen?
These accidents usually happen because drivers or passengers just do not check the street behind them before opening the door. Perhaps they know that the car is illegally parked and that there are no vehicles coming toward them that would be a threat. But there may be a bike lane running alongside the parallel parking spaces. If the driver just swings the door open without looking, any cyclist using that bike lane is in great danger.
Getting doored can lead to catastrophic injuries. The cyclist may strike the door directly and at high speeds, throwing them from their bike and into the road. There have even been cases where cyclists have been knocked into traffic when they get doored, and they could be struck by another vehicle that was driving next to them or coming along behind them.
When these types of severe injuries happen, the medical care that a cyclist needs can be incredibly expensive. This is why it’s important for those who have been injured to understand how to seek compensation from the negligent driver.