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Dooring Accidents in Illinois: Legal Rights When a Car Door Strikes a Cyclist

Mon 23 Feb, 2026 / by / Bicycle Accidents, Car Accidents

Dooring Accidents in Illinois: Legal Rights When a Car Door Strikes a Cyclist

You are riding your bicycle along a Peoria street, maintaining a safe line near parked cars. Without warning, a car door swings open directly in your path. You have no time to stop or swerve safely. The impact sends you over the handlebars, into the door, or — worse — into oncoming traffic. This is a dooring accident, and it is one of the most dangerous hazards cyclists face in Illinois.

In 2024, 35 cyclists died on Illinois roads. Many more suffered serious injuries in dooring incidents that never make the news. If a car door caused your bicycle crash, Illinois law is squarely on your side.

Illinois Dooring Law: 625 ILCS 5/11-1407

Illinois has a specific statute addressing dooring. Section 11-1407 of the Illinois Vehicle Code provides that no person shall open a vehicle door on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and it can be done without interfering with traffic. No person shall 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.

This statute creates a clear legal standard. A driver or passenger who opens a door into a cyclist’s path without checking for approaching bicycle traffic has violated the law. Under the doctrine of negligence per se, that violation can be treated as an automatic breach of the duty of care. Our Peoria car accident attorneys use this statute to establish driver liability in dooring cases without needing to prove what a “reasonable person” would have done — the legislature already defined it.

Proving a Dooring Accident Claim

While the statute provides a strong foundation, proving the case still requires evidence. Photographs of the scene showing the door position and the cyclist’s path, the police report documenting the incident, witness statements, and medical records linking injuries to the collision all support the claim. If the cyclist was wearing a helmet camera or if nearby surveillance cameras captured the incident, that footage can be decisive.

Insurance companies may argue the cyclist was riding too close to parked cars. Illinois law permits cyclists to ride in the roadway, and the three-foot buffer zone that some cyclists maintain is a practical safety measure, not a legal requirement. Riders are not required to stay so far from parked cars that they cannot use the road. Understanding Illinois comparative fault rules is important, but in dooring cases the fault usually falls heavily on the door opener.

Secondary Collisions and Multiple-Party Liability

Some dooring accidents cause a secondary collision. The cyclist swerves to avoid the door and is struck by a passing vehicle. In these cases, liability may extend to multiple parties. The person who opened the door created the initial hazard. The driver of the passing vehicle may also bear responsibility if they failed to maintain safe distance from the cyclist or could have avoided the collision.

Illinois allows injured parties to pursue claims against multiple defendants and allocate fault among them. This is important in secondary-collision dooring cases because the combined insurance coverage of multiple at-fault parties may provide adequate compensation for what are often catastrophic injuries. Knowing the full range of potential accident injuries helps ensure all damages are accounted for.

Damages in Dooring Cases

Dooring injuries tend to be severe because the cyclist has virtually no reaction time. Broken bones requiring surgical repair, traumatic brain injuries even with helmet use, spinal injuries, dental and facial fractures, and extensive road rash are common. Medical costs, rehabilitation, lost income during recovery, and pain and suffering are all recoverable. Where injuries cause permanent impairment, future damages for lost earning capacity and diminished quality of life may also apply.

If the dooring resulted from particularly reckless behavior — for example, a driver flung open a door while on a phone without any glance in the mirror — a claim for punitive damages may be worth pursuing. A bicycle accident attorney can evaluate whether punitive damages are viable in your case.

Parker & Parker Attorneys at Law
300 NE Perry Ave., Peoria, IL 61603
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FAQs

What is a dooring accident?

A dooring accident occurs when a driver or passenger opens a vehicle door into the path of an approaching cyclist. The cyclist may strike the door directly or swerve into traffic to avoid it, often resulting in serious injuries. Illinois law places liability on the person who opened the door.

Is the person who opened the car door always at fault in Illinois?

Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1407, no person shall open a vehicle door on the side available to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so. Violation of this statute creates a strong presumption of negligence against the person who opened the door.

What injuries are common in dooring accidents?

Dooring accidents commonly cause broken collarbones, wrists, and arms from impact with the door, traumatic brain injuries from being thrown to the pavement, road rash, facial fractures, and injuries caused by swerving into traffic and being hit by other vehicles.

Need a lawyer? This article is part of our Peoria Bicycle Accident Lawyer practice area. Call Parker & Parker at 309-673-0069 for a free consultation.

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