Dooring Accidents
A suddenly opened door can leave a rider no time to react.
Dooring happens when a vehicle door opens into a rider path. These crashes often occur near curbside parking, traffic lights, and rideshare drop-offs.
How Dooring Crashes Occur
Dooring is often caused by:
- Passengers exiting without checking mirrors
- Vehicles stopped or parked in travel lanes
- Rideshare or delivery drop-offs in traffic
- Low visibility at night or in bad weather
Liability Considerations
Fault typically centers on the duty to check for traffic before opening a door. Other factors include:
- Where the motorcycle was traveling in the lane
- Whether the door opened into an active travel lane
- Traffic speed and roadway design
- Witness statements and scene photos
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Injuries and Claim Needs
Dooring crashes can throw riders into traffic. Claims often involve:
- Fractures, head injuries, and road rash
- Emergency medical treatment and follow-up visits
- Damage to the motorcycle and gear
- Lost income during recovery
Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
In most dooring crashes, the person who opened the car door is presumed at fault, since traffic laws in most states require drivers and passengers to check for approaching traffic, including motorcycles and bicycles, before opening a door into a lane or bike lane. That said, fault can be shared if the rider was traveling well above a safe speed for the conditions or was riding somewhere prohibited, like a sidewalk. Because the door-opener rarely sees the impact coming, insurers sometimes dispute exactly when the door opened relative to the rider's approach, making timing evidence important.
After a dooring crash, prioritize photographing the open door's position relative to the travel lane, any paint transfer or damage on the door and motorcycle, and the surrounding street layout, including parked-car spacing and any bike or travel lane markings. Get the vehicle owner's name, insurance information, and license plate, since the door-opener — driver or passenger — is often not the vehicle's primary insured. Witness statements from nearby pedestrians or other drivers are especially valuable in dooring cases because they can confirm whether the door opened directly into the rider's path.
Rideshare and delivery vehicles are a common source of dooring crashes because passengers and drivers frequently open doors quickly during curbside pickups, drop-offs, and double-parked deliveries, often without checking mirrors for approaching riders. When a rideshare passenger opens the door, liability can extend beyond the individual to the rideshare company's insurance coverage depending on the driver's trip status at the time. Delivery drivers making frequent stops in bike lanes or travel lanes raise similar issues, and identifying the app-based company involved is an important early step in figuring out which insurance policy applies.
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