Quebec's SAAQ teaching the 'Dutch reach' to protect cyclists from getting doored

Every three days in Montreal, a cyclist is hit by an opening car door, according to police statistics. Two years after a cyclist was killed in a dooring incident, Quebec's auto insurance agency has begun to recommend drivers open their doors with their right arm instead of their left — a technique popularized in the Netherlands called the "Dutch reach."

After Jean-Pierre Lefebvre's death in July 2020, a coroner called on the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) to tell drivers to use the method. The agency finally implemented the recommendation in its 2022 education program for new drivers. 

The technique involves the driver reaching to open the vehicle door with their opposite hand, forcing them to turn their body and head toward their blind spot, widening their field of view to see if there may be any cyclists coming up behind them.

An article in French-language newspaper La Presse in June had reported on the fact the SAAQ had not yet implemented the coroner's recommendation.

Cycling organization Vélo Québec says it welcomes the SAAQ's initiative, but it is also calling on Quebec municipalities to create more buffer zones between bike paths and parked cars. The Réseau express vélo, a growing network of dedicated bike lanes in Montreal, has such a zone on most of its lanes.

WATCH | The simple technique to avoid hitting cyclists with your door:

A small change for drivers could mean a safer road for cyclists

2 years ago

Duration 0:42

The "Dutch reach" is as simple as opening your car door but adopting it could mean avoiding a crash.

On St-Denis Street, for example, the path, known as the REV, has a dedicated bike lane on each side of the road, one for each direction, and runs 10 kilometres between de Maisonneuve and Gouin boulevards.

Magali Bebronne, spokesperson for Vélo Québec, says there is little cyclists can do to predict when or if a car door will open. It can often be hard or impossible to see if someone is sitting inside a vehicle because of window reflections or darkness. 

"It's like a wall all of a sudden falling in front of you. There's really not much you can do," Bebronne said. "It's really up to the drivers to make sure they're vigilant."

She believes the number of doorings in Montreal exceeds data released by police, assuming many incidents are not reported.

Montrealer Walid Mouhtaidi says he was going down a hill recently when he narrowly avoided getting hit by a car door.

"I had to have like a reflex [to stop in time]. Thank God I didn't get hit," Mouhtaidi said. "My hands were shaking. I was like, 'I'm never riding a bike again.'"

Fellow Montreal cyclist Nora Bédard wasn't as lucky. 

"The guy just opened the door and I got hit. It was rough. I fell in the middle of the street. That was pretty scary," said Bédard, adding she thankfully wasn't injured. 

David Marcille, a spokesperson for CAA Québec, the provincial branch of the non-profit Canadian Automobile Association, says its driving instructors have already been teaching the technique, but CAA hopes the SAAQ makes it mandatory for all driving schools. 

"We love this way of opening the doors," Marcille said.