The City of Toronto to look at solutions to help keep cyclists safer on the roads
While the term “dooring” does not technically have a dictionary definition, cyclists in Toronto and other busy cities know the term well. Dooring refers to when a driver opens their car door along the path of a cyclist, which can result in serious injuries and damages to both the car and bicycle involved. So far this year, at least 170 dooring incidents have been reported in Toronto.
The issue of dooring has now been brought up to Toronto’s city council Public Works committee. The motion, which will be discussed on Wednesday, recommends that the council asks the province to make changes to the Highway Traffic Act in regards to dooring. The hope is that drivers will hold some responsibility in the event that their passenger is involved in a dooring incident, and that the G1 driver’s test and driver’s education will address safety measures that can help prevent dooring from happening.
While the penalties for drivers involved with dooring were increased a couple years back, this new call to action came to light after Toronto District School Board trustee Chris Glover was doored as he cycled past a parked car on Bloor Street.
"He opened the back door on me," Glover said in an interview. "I hit the back door. I got bruises all down my left arm and left leg. My bike wheel was twisted."
After a few months, Glover’s injuries were healed, but he believed that the policies in place for driver’s involved in dooring were still bruised and broken. After his incident he set out to investigate dooring and what could be done about it.
Winter is on its way, making traveling around the city a bit more hazardous than normal. Be sure to stay safe and alert on the roads out there no matter how you get around.