How do you open the car door? This question is a no-brainer. If you’re inside, you use the door handle. If you’re outside, you pull the handle once it’s unlocked or, if you own a custom ride with shaved doors, you use a door popper to open them. Either way, you need to be careful when doing it.
Opening your car door at the wrong time or place can cause accidents. Here are some things you must remember whenever you’re opening your door.
Opening the door will take up space. It can block the path of vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians if you’re somewhere busy, so be careful not to hit anyone.
The term “dooring” is opening a vehicle door in the path of another road user. This typically happens when a driver carelessly opens their door without checking.
Awareness is crucial when opening your car door. Doing the following things before you open the door is a must.
Remember that opening your door is like switching lanes because the door will take up space when you open it. It can obstruct the path of anyone who’s about to use that space.
Opening your door in the path of another vehicle is going to rip your door right off. Meanwhile, doing it when a cyclist or biker is passing can send that person off their vehicle and seriously injure them. This is also the case if you open the door while a pedestrian is in the way.
If you’re on the driver’s side, always check your side mirrors for oncoming vehicles or cyclists.
Don’t stop at checking your side mirrors. Check over your shoulder and your vehicle’s blind spots as well. Remember that your vehicle’s pillars can also obscure objects.
Sometimes, vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians won’t be coming from the adjacent lane. Instead, they’ll come from behind before going alongside your vehicle to pass. The odds of them coming from this path are slim, but it’s still best to check behind your vehicle or your rear view mirror before exiting your vehicle.
Don’t quickly swing open your door. Instead, slowly open the door and check if there are any oncoming road users through the small gap.
Checking is a must because, even if you check your side mirror and over your shoulder, there are still plenty of areas where your vision is obscured. Your vehicle’s pillars might also be obscuring someone. You’d be surprised how frequently vehicle pillars obscure people as they’re passing by.
Speeding vehicles are difficult to spot because you’ll be given little time before they close the gap. Bikers are especially prone to getting doored because of their small footprint and quiet mode of transport.
Opening the door slowly gives opportunities for anyone you might not have seen to at least react accordingly, be it to stop, slow down, or pick a different path.
One effective strategy to ensure you can open doors slowly is to practice the “Dutch Reach” method.
What is the Dutch Reach? This technique involves using the hand furthest away from the door to push it open (this is typically the right hand if you’re the driver). Using this hand naturally turns your body towards the door, helping you see through the gap. Pushing the door with your furthest hand also keeps you from pushing the door quickly.
Once you need to exit the vehicle, remind your passengers to be careful when opening the door. You can also tell them when they can open the door safely, especially if you’re parked on the side of the road where vehicles might be passing your vehicle.
If you park your vehicle in a narrow spot, your passengers might not be able to open the door fully without hitting the adjacent vehicle.
It might also be difficult for them to see how far they can open the door. You can help your passengers open the door safely by getting out of the vehicle first and then opening the door for them. Doing this also allows you to hold the door and prevent it from hitting the adjacent vehicle.
If your passengers don’t have enough space to open the doors, you can also adjust your parking. Parking improperly can give one side of the vehicle ample space while depriving the other side. In these scenarios, you can move the car in a way where both sides can have sufficient room to open the door.
Parking on the shoulder of a busy road or highway is a recipe for a driving accident. Parking your vehicle at an appropriate and safe parking space can save you the trouble of needing to open your vehicle doors onto oncoming traffic. Your vehicle’s mere presence on a shoulder can endanger you and others, regardless of whether you’re opening the door.
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.