Why People in the Netherlands Open Car Doors with Their Right Hands (and Why You Should Too)

The Dutch reach comes to America

Luckily, drivers in the U.S. have started to take notice of this “handy” (get it?) parking practice. A Massachusetts-based organization called the Dutch Reach Project works to educate the public on the exercise, while petitioning states to implement the “reach” in their driver’s education classes.

So far, the Dutch Reach Project has managed to get the state of Massachusetts to add a countermeasure in their 2017 driver’s manual. Good work, guys!

The organization, whose motto is “Reach, Swivel, Look Out & Back, Open Slowly” has some pretty helpful tips on how to get newbies into the responsible habit. They suggest tying a ribbon, note, or sticker to your door handle, until you build up enough muscle memory to take off the “training wheels”. Smart!

Now that you know all about how the Dutch reach can save lives, be sure to watch the video below to see how to best execute the practice yourself.

What do you think of the Dutch reach? Were you taught this as a child or new driver? Have you ever suffered injuries from a “dooring” incident before?

Source: Tiphero.com