Why You Should Always Use Your Right Hand to Open Your Car Door

When you are the driver and your car is parked, your left hand is naturally closer to the door handle. It feels quicker and easier to just reach out with your left hand, pull the lever, and push the door open.

But here is the danger in this simple, natural action: using the left hand often means you do not turn your body. You simply swing the door open without carefully checking the space behind your car.

This action creates a major safety risk. There could be cyclists, delivery riders, people on scooters, or even a passing car coming up right alongside your vehicle. When someone opens a car door directly into the path of another road user, it is known as a “dooring accident.” These types of accidents can cause very serious injuries, especially to vulnerable road users like cyclists, and they are happening much more often than many people realize in busy urban areas.

Understanding the Life-Saving “Dutch Reach” Technique

The simple but highly effective technique that the police officer described is formally known in traffic safety circles around the world as the Dutch Reach.

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