Cyclists who are out on the road regularly can often maintain a relatively high rate of speed. While they may not travel at a comparable speed to motor vehicle traffic, they move much more quickly than pedestrians. They need to allow themselves enough space to safely maneuver and stop as necessary.
Typically, there is an expectation that vehicles should maintain enough space in traffic so that they can stop when traffic conditions change abruptly without striking another vehicle nearby. Someone who tailgates another vehicle might be responsible if they rear-end another vehicle when it stops suddenly.
A dooring incident occurs when a person inside a stopped motor vehicle opens the door into traffic, resulting in a cyclist striking the door. Dooring incidents are dangerous because of the trauma they can cause and because they can throw a cyclist out into traffic.
Can a cyclist be held liable for a dooring incident because they didn’t maintain enough space to stop before striking the door in question?
The fault usually lies with the vehicle occupants
A dooring incident is substantially different from a rear-end crash. The cyclist might be in a bicycle lane or in a lane designated for moving traffic while the vehicle is on a shoulder or in an area designated for on-street parking. The cyclist therefore should not have to worry about that stopped vehicle presenting a hazard.
In fact, California law specifically prohibits opening a vehicle door into oncoming traffic in a manner that puts others at risk of injury. Dooring incidents are almost always solely the fault of the person in the vehicle who opened their door without checking for oncoming traffic first.
The cyclist could sustain a number of serious injuries, from lacerations and fractures to a brain injury. They may need to pursue an insurance claim to cover medical bills and any lost wages they incur. In fact, they may need to file a personal injury lawsuit if the costs generated by the incident go beyond the amount of insurance coverage available.
Understanding how the state assigns fault in different types of cycling crashes can help avid cyclists protect themselves legally and financially. A dooring incident is usually the fault of vehicle occupants and may leave a cyclist in need of significant financial compensation.