Mandatory for door warning systems: Federal government plans more protection for cyclists

According to media reports, the German government is planning to introduce mandatory door warning systems in vehicles in order to prevent so-called dooring accidents involving cyclists. The German Cyclists' Federation (ADFC) welcomes the initiative, but emphasises that safe cycle paths with sufficient distance from parked cars are crucial for greater cycling safety.

The German government apparently wants to improve the safety of cyclists through technical measures. According to media reports, car manufacturers are to be obliged to equip their vehicles with door warning systems in future. These are intended to prevent cyclists from falling due to suddenly opened car doors. This type of accident is known as "dooring". The Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club (ADFC) welcomes this initiative in principle, but believes that improving the cycling infrastructure is the more important lever. "It is high time that the federal government wanted to improve the safety of cyclists. Fatal cycling accidents have increased over the last ten years - mainly due to poor road layout and design," explains ADFC Federal Managing Director Dr Caroline Lodemann. The accident statistics prove her right: every year, over 400 cyclists die in road traffic accidents and more than 90,000 are injured, some of them seriously. The main opponent in these accidents is the car. Our colleague has also seen and experienced a lot in 12 years of commuting by bike.

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Dooring as an underestimated danger

Although dooring accidents are not recorded separately in the national statistics, regional figures demonstrate the relevance of the problem. In Berlin, "behaviour contrary to traffic regulations when getting on and off the bike" ranks third among the main causes of accidents involving cyclists with 435 accidents. In Cologne, a total of 120 dooring accidents were registered in 2024. Accident research by insurers (UDV) has also determined that almost one in five bicycle accidents is related to parked cars. These figures make it clear that dooring is a serious safety problem that needs to be addressed through various measures. "Modern vehicle technology can help to compensate for human error in road traffic. But when it comes to dooring, you have to take a closer look: If a person on a bike falls through a carelessly opened car door, there is no safe cycle path there," emphasises Lodemann.

Infrastructure as a decisive factor

The ADFC believes that improving the cycling infrastructure is the key to accident prevention. "Good cycle paths must be created with sufficient safety distance from parked cars. This so-called 'dooring zone' ensures that you don't have to cycle through the dangerous door zone in the first place," explains Lodemann. The association has been pointing out the dangers of outdated and unsafe cycling infrastructure for years. "Safe cycling is only possible on good cycle paths - but the expansion of cycle path networks is progressing far too slowly." The situation is further exacerbated by cuts in the budgets for cycle path construction. While the Netherlands and Denmark have been investing in safe cycling infrastructure for decades, Germany is lagging behind in implementing modern standards. Particularly in large cities, where space is limited and traffic is dense, there is often a lack of sufficiently wide and protected cycle paths.

Multi-pronged approach to accident prevention

In addition to the infrastructure and the vehicle technology now being discussed, there are other approaches to preventing dooring accidents. One simple but effective method is the so-called "Dutch Reach". In the Netherlands, it is common practice to open the car door with the hand facing away from the door. This automatically turns the upper body backwards, which makes it easier to look over the shoulder and helps to open the door safely. This technology could also be more firmly anchored in driver training in Germany. The technical solutions now being discussed include warning systems that recognise approaching cyclists and warn the vehicle occupants acoustically. In an emergency, advanced systems could even block the door for a short time. "It is important that these systems are used on both the driver and passenger side. This is because cycle paths often run to the right of car parking spaces. However, cycle paths are often missing - and cycle traffic is guided past parked cars on the left," explains Lodemann.

Demand for a holistic security concept

The ADFC supports the federal government's initiative, but emphasises the need for a comprehensive approach. "The federal government should make dooring warning systems mandatory and at the same time significantly accelerate the expansion of safe cycle paths," demands Lodemann. In addition to dooring accidents, collisions at poorly designed junctions and intersections are a major cause of accidents. Structural measures such as protected crossings based on the Dutch model could increase safety here. The consistent separation of motorised traffic and cycle traffic through structurally separated cycle paths would also lead to a significant improvement. As the largest organisation representing the interests of cyclists in Germany with over 240,000 members, the ADFC is committed to the consistent promotion of cycling at regional, national and international level. The safety of all road users takes centre stage.