Across Canada, more people are walking, biking, and using alternative forms of transportation. With this shift comes a shared responsibility among drivers, passengers, and road users to make streets safer. The Dutch Reach method is a simple technique that can make a meaningful difference.
Whether you're a renter, homeowner, or condo resident, if you or someone in your household drives or parks near cyclists, it's worth understanding how this small behaviour change can help prevent injuries, reduce dooring accidents, and promote road safety.
Let’s examine the Dutch Reach in more detail, why it matters, and how you can incorporate it into your everyday routine.
Key takeaways
The Dutch Reach method is a simple, effective way to reduce dooring accidents and improve road safety by using the far hand to open a car door.
This small habit encourages a natural shoulder check, helping drivers and passengers spot approaching cyclists, pedestrians, and oncoming traffic.
Driving schools, insurance representatives, and road safety advocates encourage more people to adopt this technique to help save lives and protect all road users.
What is the Dutch Reach method?
The Dutch Reach method is a safety technique that encourages drivers and passengers to use their far hand (the one furthest from the car door) when exiting a vehicle. This simple action causes the body to rotate, naturally positioning the head and shoulder to look behind for oncoming cyclists, pedestrians, or other road users.
That means using the right hand for the driver (or passenger on the driver’s side). For a passenger on the vehicle’s other side, it’s the left hand. The result? A shoulder check that helps spot potential dangers in your blind spot.
This method originated in the Netherlands, where it's taught from a young age and widely used in driving schools. It's become a proven way to help save lives and reduce injuries from dooring incidents.
Why dooring incidents are still a problem
A dooring happens when someone opens a car door into the path of an approaching cyclist, causing them to collide with it or swerve into traffic. These incidents can lead to injuries and, in some cases, fatalities.
In Canada, dooring accidents continue, especially in dense urban areas where parked cars and bike lanes often share the road. While cities are improving infrastructure, part of the solution involves increased awareness and small changes in everyday habits.
In winter, visibility can decrease due to frost, snowbanks, or foggy windows, making it even harder to notice oncoming traffic. That’s why using the Dutch Reach is especially valuable during colder months.
Why the Dutch Reach matters for Canadian road safety
From Vancouver’s seawall to Montreal’s bike lanes, cycling is more than a summer activity. Road safety is a shared effort in all seasons, and the Dutch Reach method gives individuals a tangible way to participate.
Here’s why it can be particularly useful in Canada:
Winter visibility is often limited: Snow and ice can obstruct side mirrors or narrow shoulders.
Bike traffic is growing: Many Canadian cities are expanding cycling networks, which means more people are sharing the road.
Vehicle doors can injure: Opening a door without checking can cause cyclist injuries and harm to pedestrians, damage to other vehicles, and increased liability.
Using the Dutch Reach actively helps reduce risks for everyone on the road.
How to use the Dutch Reach every time you exit your vehicle
In practice, the Dutch Reach is easy to learn and to apply. Here’s how to do it:
- Use your opposite hand: Reach across your body with the hand furthest from the door handle. For driver’s side, that’s your right hand; for passenger’s side, your left hand.
- Let your body swivel: Reaching this way causes your shoulder and head to rotate, encouraging a natural shoulder check.
- Look for approaching cyclists and traffic: Check your mirrors, look over your shoulder, and assess for any oncoming cyclists or other road users.
- Open the door slowly: Crack it open slightly and double-check for movement before stepping out.
This simple change in movement gives you a better chance of spotting someone passing by and gives the other person time to react, too.
What driving schools and instructors are doing
Many driving schools in Canada are starting to teach the Dutch Reach method. Driving instructors are introducing it during in-vehicle lessons, and in some provinces, it’s even included in driver handbooks.
This growing emphasis on safe exits reflects a broader movement to prioritize all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians, not just motorists.
By learning this habit early in a driving course, new drivers are better equipped to protect themselves and others.
The insurance connection: Small habits, bigger peace of mind
While the Dutch Reach may seem like a slight behavioural shift, its impact can extend to your insurance coverage and liability risk.
There may be consequences if a passenger or driver opens a door and causes a collision or injury of other road users.
Here’s how the Dutch Reach connects with insurance:
- Auto policies may include liability coverage that protects you if someone is injured around your driveway or curbside.
- Practicing safe habits like the Dutch Reach method supports your efforts to be a responsible member of your community, which aligns with the values of many insurers.
Speak to your insurance representative to better understand how liability applies in various situations, but the main takeaway is that safer actions support safer outcomes.
How to teach others to use the Dutch Reach
One of the strengths of the Dutch Reach is how easy it is to explain and pass along. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, landlord, or just a passenger who wants to be more mindful, here are ways to help others adopt the habit:
- With children and teens: Explain the concept and model it yourself each time you exit a vehicle.
- In shared properties: Condo boards or landlords can post simple signs near parking garages or building entrances to encourage the technique.
- As a daily reminder: Add a small Dutch Reach sticker or decal near the door handle as a reminder.
Reinforcing the practice doesn’t require formal training. It’s about consistency and increased awareness. The more people use it, the safer streets become.
A small change that makes a big difference
The Dutch Reach method may seem like a minor adjustment, but its impact on road safety is significant. By simply using your far hand (the hand furthest from the car door), you naturally turn your head and upper body, making it easier to spot approaching cyclists, pedestrians, or other vehicles. It’s a habit that encourages increased awareness, reduces the risk of dooring incidents, and protects all road users.
As more driving schools, insurance representatives, and road safety advocates continue to teach this safety technique, the hope is that more people will adopt it in their daily routines. Whether you’re a driver, passenger, or pedestrian, being mindful when you open the door is a simple way to help save lives and support safer streets for everyone.
For related tips on how to stay prepared when the unexpected happens, visit our article: What to do after a car accident to learn more.
