According to the Chicago Bike Law, drivers who open their car door and strike a cyclist or cause a biker to swerve into traffic face fines and penalties.
Chicago bike injury can because when drivers fail to obey the following law:
“No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.”
While this law, like many effecting Chicago cyclists, goes largely unenforced, the City of Chicago and should consider making dooring that causes a dooring injury a strict liability offense. Because of the severity of bike accident injury that can occur as a result of a carelessly opened door, there should be no excuse and no amount of care that excuses striking a cyclist with a door.
