Bicyclist Suffers Grave Injury
In Frohnau, Berlin, a traffic accident took place yesterday morning at around 10:30 AM. The incident occurred on Stolzingstraße, just after Wahnfriedstraße, and involved a cyclist and a Volkswagen Golf hatchback.
The cyclist was a 44-year-old woman riding a bicycle with a child trailer. She collided with the open left rear door of the VW, which was reportedly malfunctioning, and fell off the bike, injuring her head. Fortunately, her four-year-old child was unharmed in the accident.
The woman's condition in the hospital is currently stable. The traffic investigation unit of Police Directorate 1 (North) has taken over the investigation, and they have determined that the cyclist had the right of way.
Under German traffic law and common safety practices, drivers and passengers must ensure it is safe before opening a car door on the traffic side. Opening a door into the path of an oncoming cyclist is prohibited and can be punished if it causes an accident. This is derived from the general duty of care outlined in the German Road Traffic Regulations (Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung, StVO).
Drivers should use the Dutch Reach method—opening the door with the hand farthest from the door—to see approaching cyclists and avoid "door slam" accidents. When parked adjacent to a bicycle lane, extra caution is required because cyclists will often be riding close to the parked cars.
If a door is opened without sufficient care and a cyclist is injured, the car occupant is usually held liable for damages. These principles are standard under Germany’s traffic safety rules (StVO §14 and §1 regarding door opening and care) and apply throughout the country, including Frohnau, Berlin.
The traffic investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident. The police have not yet released any information about potential charges against the VW driver, a 35-year-old man. The police are urging witnesses to come forward with any information they may have. The woman was traveling towards Schönfließer Straße at the time of the accident.
For authoritative, locale-specific guidance, the Berlin transport authority (Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, BVG) or local police provide updated regulations and campaigns on bike safety.
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