One reason that California residents may choose to ride their bikes instead of drive their cars is to avoid traffic. Bicycles are maneuverable, small, and may be able to make it through congested roads easier than large trucks and SUVs. While a bike may be a convenient alternative to a bigger motor vehicle, it may also be a more dangerous option when negligent and reckless motorists are near.
Motorists do not even have to be actively operating their vehicles to negligently harm bicyclists. Dooring accidents are terribly common and hurt many bicyclists each year. Door occurs when a driver opens their door into a street and into the path of an oncoming bicyclist.
There are a number of ways that dooring accidents can be prevented. Simply, drivers should stop and take the time to look over their left shoulders and into their blind spots before opening their doors. By checking these often hidden spots they may notice bicyclists coming and who may be harmed.
Some individuals advocate for the use of the Dutch reach. This maneuver requires a driver to use their inside, or right, hand to open their car door. When a driver reaches across their body with their inside hand, the automatically turn and can look into their blind spot to check for bicyclists.
Dooring accidents can be deadly. Bicyclists may never see drivers opening their doors and may not have safe options for avoiding collisions with them. After a dooring accident, a bicyclist may be in pain, confused, and scared for their future. They can seek the counsel of a bicycle accident attorney in Orange County to help them get back on their feet.
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