It’s a common fear for cyclists and drivers. But who is legally at fault if a car door is opened into the path of another vehicle or cyclist?
Imagine this. It’s 5:00pm on a Friday, and you’ve been searching for an on-street park that’s close to your destination.
After minutes of cruising up and down the street, you carefully pull up to an open spot and park your car. As you head out, you hear the blaring sound of a cyclist’s alarm as they swerve around your open car door.
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While road authorities continue to remind drivers to remain vigilant of other road users, it seems as though some motorists still aren’t getting the message, with cyclist deaths up close to 40 per cent year on year.
As previously reported by Drive, in the 12 months leading up to the end of May 2025, 41 cyclist deaths were recorded on Australian roads, representing an approximate 37 per cent increase in comparison to 2024.
Broadly speaking, previous data from the Bureau of Infrastructure Transport and Regional Economics revealed that “around 85 per cent” of reported cyclist casualties involved another vehicle.
According to Road Sense Australia – a non-profit road safety organisation – the act of ‘dooring,’ where a driver opens the door in the path of other road users like cyclists, “can lead to serious injury”.
“When a vehicle occupant opens their door into the path of an oncoming cyclist, the cyclist may be forced to swerve to avoid being hit, leading to a potentially fatal collision with a third vehicle,” Road Sense Australia advised.
In a September 2024 cycling safety national report conducted by BikeSpot – an online cycling safety platform funded by the Amy Gillett Foundation – with over 10,000 respondents, 27 per cent said ‘car dooring’ was “the most experienced concern or cause of cycling stress”.
Additionally, participants also said the behaviour was in the top three most common issues cyclists faced “on a daily basis”.
But who’s legally responsible if a car door opens into traffic? Here’s what you need to know.
Disclaimer: This article does not constitute legal advice and only serves as a general guideline.
Who’s at fault if a car door opens into traffic?
Generally speaking, the person who opens the door into traffic is at fault for causing a hazard and/or accident, regardless of whether the other road user could have avoided it.
According to Canberra-based law firm BAL, while the driver can argue the cyclist could have avoided the open door, “usually, there is very little a cyclist can do in these situations”.
“A cyclist may have sufficient time to swerve to avoid a car door, but in a worst case [scenario], [it could] result in the cyclist ending up struck by an oncoming car,” BAL advised.
Depending on which state or territory a driver resides in, the act of ‘dooring’ can incur hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in fines.
In Victoria, a person who causes a hazard by “opening [and/or] leaving a car door open” can incur a maximum fine of 10 penalty units valued at $2030 as of July 2025. The same offence carries a $2460 maximum penalty in New South Wales
Queenslanders caught ‘dooring’ other road users can incur a fine not exceeding $3338. Meanwhile, in South Australia, creating a hazard by opening a car door can incur a $227 fine and three demerit points.
Offenders caught in Western Australia can be fined $50 for leaving a car door open, or opening a car door, that could endanger other road users.
Tasmanian drivers caught disobeying the state’s road rules can be fined a maximum of $1025. In the Australian Capital Territory, leaving a car door open can attract a maximum fine of $3200. Finally, in the Northern Territory, obstructing traffic by opening a car door can lead to a $40 fine.
What is the ‘Dutch Reach’?
When it comes to cyclist safety, experts have advised drivers to keep the ‘Dutch Reach’ in mind when parking their vehicles on streets with bicycle lanes.
In a nutshell, the ‘Dutch Reach’ is using the hand furthest away from the door to open it. According to Bicycle Network – an Australian industry body with more than 50,000 members – the movement forces drivers to keep an eye out for incoming hazards like cyclists.
“The action causes you to turn your body and take a precautionary look back over your shoulder for any oncoming traffic, including people on bikes,” the industry body said.
The post Who’s at fault if a car door opens into traffic? appeared first on Drive.