Open car doors pose a danger to cyclists in 92.5% of cases. The study highlights the increasing width of cars and recommends allocating at least 2 meters for cyclists.
Summary
Collisions between cyclists and opening car doors ("dooring") often have serious consequences. A study examined the door reach of the 50 best-selling cars in Europe and compared it with cycling infrastructure regulations across 24 EU countries and the UK. The findings revealed that in 92.5% of cases, the doors encroach upon the cycle lane; furthermore, the average width of cars has increased by 9 cm over the past 20 years. This demonstrates a systemic non-compliance with regulations and poses a persistent risk. To ensure safety, the usable space for cyclists should be approximately 2 meters wide.
Citation
Janoška, Z., Bílová, M., Daněk, P., Bíl, M. (2026) The dooring risk in Europe: Cycling infrastructure guidelines often underestimate the car door zone, Journal of Safety Research, Volume 99, Pages 127-136, ISSN 0022-4375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2026.09.010.