Prevent “Doorings” with the Dutch Reach

There are over 1,000 miles of bike lanes in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland combined, but only about 10%  of those are protected lanes or off-street trails.

In shared street spaces, cyclists are at risk of injury or death from “dooring” – being hit by open car doors on parked vehicles.

Dooring is a commonplace accident that can occur when people in a vehicle do not look for cyclists before opening the door. According to MTC’s Vital Signs website, over 200 cyclists on average are injured in accidents with vehicles each year, and some of these crashes are fatal.

Dooring is a preventable when people in a vehicle use the “Dutch Reach” before opening car doors.

The Dutch Reach teaches people in vehicles to open the door using the far hand. So, if you are sitting on the driver’s side, reach for the door handle using your right hand. If you are on the passenger side, open the door using your left hand.

This action forces your body to swivel, and you will naturally have a better view of any oncoming cyclists or pedestrians that might get injured when you open the door.

To do the Dutch Reach:

• Step 1: Reach for the door handle using the far hand
• Step 2: Look for cyclists and pedestrians who may be passing
• Step 3: Open the door slowly
• Step 4: Exit the vehicle and quickly step away from the path of traffic

The Dutch Reach gets its name from the large cycling community in the Netherlands where this technique was first made popular.

Vision Zero is an initiative with a goal to eliminate roadway injuries and deaths in the Bay Area. MTC leads the Bay Area Vision Zero Working Group, which supports Vision Zero initiatives in the region.