Reaching to open car doors with the hand furthest from the door—the so-called 'Dutch Reach'—will become a standard part of driver training and testing across the EU once member nations approve the bill passed by the European Parliament.
The 'Dutch Reach,' which may not have originated in the Netherlands at all, has drivers or passengers use the far hand because it automatically makes them turn and see any cyclists who might be 'doored' by a sudden opening of the car door. In the Netherlands, some estimates say, over 6% of traffic accidents involve cyclists slamming into open doors.
Other items in the driver safety bill include adding snowy-condition driving to driver testing and a two-year probationary driving licence and stricter alcohol rules for inexperienced drivers. The Parliament rejected proposals to add more restrictions for elderly drivers, saying that would interfere with their right to participate in social and economic life.
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