B.C. quadruples fine for ‘dooring’ cyclists to $368

B.C. is adding another incentive to help drivers remember that crucial and potentially life-saving shoulder check when opening the car door — by increasing the fine for “dooring” cyclists from $81 to $368.

B.C. is adding another incentive to help drivers remember that crucial and potentially life-saving shoulder check when opening the car door — by increasing the fine for “dooring” cyclists from $81 to $368, more than quadrupling the penalty.

“Dooring” refers to “opening the door of a parked car when it is not reasonably safe to do so,” according to the province.

A statement from the province said that the previous fine — which will remain in effect until September 21, 2020 — was among the lowest in Canada. The fine increase will be accompanied by a public awareness campaign.

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“Dooring can cause serious injury, and the new fine reflects that,” Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure wrote in the statement. “But it is preventable, which is why we are also investing in public education. We want to make sure everyone who uses the roads does so safely.”

In 2019, a cyclist died after a collision with a dump truck near Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver. Bowinn Ma, the MLA for that area, wrote “this increased fine sends a strong signal of the level of accountability that is expected of people who are operating a vehicle, even when the engine is off.”

The demand for bikes has skyrocketed across Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many cities rapidly bringing in increased biking infrastructure and lanes. 

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