by Preston Tyree, Director of Education - League of American Bicyclists
Door zone crashes may be responsible for 7 percent of the crashes that cyclists encounter. But they are responsible for a larger percentage in urban traffic, as much as 17 percent of the fatal crashes, as reported in one New York City report.
Cyclists who consistently ride in the "door zone" (that space that is next to a parked car that can be obstructed by an opening door) are setting themselves up for a case of road rash at best and possibly a serious injury or death. So, how far away from a parked car is far enough?