Current national research shows that drivers and passengers opening car doors is one of the main causes of on-road cycle accidents. Brent Ferigo, Cycle Planning Officer at Christchurch City Council, said that it is certainly an issue for Christchurch cyclists.

“The opening of car doors in front of cyclists causes the highest number of on-road cycle incidents reported to the Christchurch City Council. Research conducted in 2001 showed that 16% of all cycle incidents reported to the Council were concerns relating to people opening car doors in front of cyclists”, said Ferigo.

Top multisport athlete Steve Gurney said that he himself had been the victim of an opening car door, in which he received chest injuries and required medical treatment.

“I hit the car door hard and ended up in the middle of the road. As a result, the driver ended up not being able to close the door afterwards”, said Gurney.

Gurney says that he supports the Council’s Stop Look Cyclist campaign and is tempted to start his own campaign to get cars manufactured so that the doors open the other way, which would reduce the risk to cyclists.

The re-launch of the Stop Look Cyclist campaign incorporates a number of integrated activities aimed at drivers and passengers, including wide distribution of the stickers and new advertising making drivers aware of cyclists.

The Stop Look Cyclist stickers are available from bike shops, gyms, swimming pools, libraries and City Council offices and service centres. They can also be obtained by emailing the Council at joy.kingsbury@ccc.govt.nz. Stickers come in two sizes – a large sticker for the vehicle’s rear windscreen, which is visible to drivers in the car behind, and smaller stickers for the inside of car doors (for example near the door handle) as a reminder to somebody who opens the door to look first.

Another element of the campaign involves on-air radio giveaways to drivers in vehicles carrying the Stop Look Cyclist stickers. Drivers must have stickers on their car, listen to More FM in the mornings to hear their car’s registration number, and then call More FM to go in the draw for a prize. According to Ferigo prizes are significant and include several bikes.