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If you get doored, it can happen quickly

On Behalf of | Sep 16, 2020 | Bicycle Accidents |

Cyclists everywhere worry about getting doored, especially while riding in the city. This is the term for an accident caused by a person in a vehicle opening their door and striking a cyclist as they ride by. It typically happens because the person in the car simply has no situational awareness and has no idea that the cyclist is there.

When you look into situations where cyclists get doored, one thing that becomes clear is just how quickly it can happen. A split second makes all the difference. The hardest crashes happen when someone opens the door just at the moment that the cyclist passes, so they can’t brake or swerve.

Often, these accidents happen due to some kind of illegal activity. A lot of them are people getting out of cars or cabs, for instance, which may have parked in the bike lane to drop off their passengers. There are even examples of police officers opening their doors and hitting cyclists.

A cyclist may have to ride by dozens or hundreds of parked cars. Most are empty. But all it takes is one open door at the wrong moment to cause a crash. Plus, even the cyclists who are able to swerve and avoid these accidents are forced to swerve further into the traffic lanes, which could still result in a crash.

The injuries from this type of sudden accident can be severe and costly. They may keep you out of work, as well, decreasing your income. You need to know how to seek financial compensation for all of these different types of costs.

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