Why They’re Called “Suicide Doors”

They’re called “suicide doors” because rear-hinged car doors were historically more dangerous: if unlatched or opened while the vehicle was moving, the airstream could yank the door wide open and, in the worst cases, pull occupants out—especially in the era before seatbelts and modern latches. The term, born from those risks, stuck as shorthand for rear-hinged “coach doors.”

What the Term Refers To

In automotive design, a “suicide door” is a door hinged at the rear edge rather than the front. Openings are often paired at the center on four-door sedans (front doors hinged normally, rear doors hinged at the back) or used as “half-doors” on coupes and trucks that open only after the front door is opened. Today, most manufacturers avoid the term and prefer “coach doors,” “rear-hinged,” or brand-specific labels.

Where the Name Came From

The label traces back to early motoring and even earlier horse-drawn coaches, but it gained currency in the mid-20th century when the configuration’s shortcomings collided with sparse safety equipment. Engineers and safety advocates noted specific failure modes that made rear-hinged doors uniquely hazardous compared with forward-hinged doors.

These are the core reasons enthusiasts and safety historians cite for the name’s grim reputation:

• Wind force at speed: If a rear-hinged door unlatched, oncoming air would catch its leading edge and fling it wider, making it far harder to pull shut than a conventional door, which tends to be pushed closed by airflow.
• Ejection risk: In pre-seatbelt days, an occupant leaning out to grab a swinging rear-hinged door could be pulled from the vehicle; some were thrown or dragged, fueling the “suicide” moniker.
• Weaker early latches: Early- to mid-century latch designs and body flex could allow doors to pop open over bumps; a rear hinge magnified the danger once the door cracked ajar.
• Pillarless designs: Many classic cars with center-opening doors lacked a fixed B-pillar, relying on opposing doors to meet. If alignment or latching failed, overall retention suffered.
• Street-side exits: Rear-hinged doors swing from the back, so stepping out into traffic places the occupant’s body at the door’s trailing edge, leaving them more exposed if the door is struck.

Taken together—especially before modern restraints—the configuration proved unforgiving when something went wrong. That reputation hardened the slang into everyday usage.

From Carriages to Continentals to Coach Doors

Rear-hinged doors began with carriages, where passengers often entered rear seating from the curb. Early luxury automobiles adopted the style for graceful ingress and egress, and the look became a design signature at multiple points in automotive history.

Classic and Modern Examples

While the nickname persists, the hardware has evolved, and the layout still appears—sometimes prominently—on modern vehicles.

Notable uses across eras include:

• 1930s luxury sedans and limousines: Many marques offered center-opening doors for easier rear-seat access.
• 1961–1969 Lincoln Continental: Perhaps the most iconic American usage, with rear doors hinged at the back.
• Extended-cab pickups (1990s–present): Ford F-150 SuperCab and similar trucks use rear-hinged “half-doors” that open only after the front door, improving cab access while controlling safety.
• Early 2000s experiments: Mazda RX-8 (“freestyle doors”), Saturn Ion Quad Coupe, and BMW i3 employed rear-hinged second rows to enhance cabin access within compact footprints.
• Modern luxury: Rolls-Royce Phantom, Ghost, Cullinan and the all-electric Spectre feature power-assisted rear-hinged “coach doors”; Lincoln briefly revived the configuration for its limited-run 2019–2020 Continental Coach Door Edition.
• Recent EVs and MPVs: Mazda MX-30 and the earlier Opel/Vauxhall Meriva used controlled rear-hinged designs to ease entry in tight spaces.

Across these examples, the door style is used to serve a purpose—elegant ingress, packaging efficiency, or design theater—while relying on modern safeguards to mitigate the old risks.

Are They Dangerous Today?

Modern rear-hinged doors are far safer than their historical counterparts. Regulations such as FMVSS 206 in the U.S. require robust locks and retention components. Automakers layer in electronics and mechanics to keep doors secure under real-world conditions.

Common safety measures include:

• Interlocks preventing rear doors from opening unless the front door is open (common on coupes and pickups).
• Double- or triple-stage “bear-claw” latches, intrusion beams, and reinforced sills for crash performance.
• Speed-sensitive lockouts that disable opening above certain speeds, plus door-ajar alerts and auto-locking.
• Seatbelts, airbags, and side-curtain systems that drastically reduce ejection risk.
• Power-assisted soft-close and power-open systems that control the door’s motion and latch engagement.

While physics still favors a forward-hinged door if something goes wrong, contemporary engineering and legal standards have largely neutralized the specific hazards that gave “suicide doors” their name.

Why the Term Lingers

Language sticks, and “suicide door” is vivid. It captures a storied past, even if it overstates modern risk. That’s why premium brands lean on “coach doors,” a nod to carriage heritage and a more sophisticated image, while enthusiasts and pop culture keep the old nickname alive.

Bottom Line

They’re called “suicide doors” because early rear-hinged doors could fly open into the wind and pull people out—especially before seatbelts and modern latches—leading to serious injuries and fatalities. Today, the configuration survives as “coach doors,” with engineering and regulations addressing the hazards that originally inspired the name.

Summary

“Suicide door” is slang for a rear-hinged car door. The name arose from historical safety problems: if such a door opened at speed, wind forces could make it swing wider and even eject occupants. Modern versions persist in trucks and luxury cars, where they’re typically called “coach doors” and are secured by advanced latches, interlocks, and electronic safeguards.

Are suicide doors legal in the US?

What are suicide doors? Suicide doors are doors that are rear-hinged and open opposite, compared to the conventional doors on most cars. Are suicide doors illegal? Despite the controversial name, no.

Why did they call them suicide doors?

“Suicide doors” are called that because their rear-hinged design, coupled with the absence of seat belts in early vehicles, posed a significant risk of passengers falling out into traffic if the door accidentally opened while the car was in motion. Aerodynamic forces could spring the door open, and if a passenger grabbed for the handle to close it, they could be pulled out of the vehicle. 
Here’s a breakdown of the risks: 

• Falling out of the vehicle: Opens in new tabWithout seat belts, a person leaning out to close an open door could easily be pulled or fall onto the road and into traffic.
• Aerodynamic drag: Opens in new tabThe force of the wind would naturally push a rear-hinged door open, creating a hazard.
• Collision with other vehicles: Opens in new tabA speeding car passing a parked vehicle with suicide doors could be severely damaged, while a person partially out of the car might escape injury.

These doors were initially popular in horse-drawn carriages before being adapted for automobiles, and while the term reflects a serious safety concern, their use has declined in modern vehicles due to improved safety standards and features like seat belts.

What do suicide doors look like?

Suicide doors are car doors that are hinged at the rear of the vehicle, causing them to open backward rather than forward. They are also known as coach doors and were common on early vehicles but have a history of safety concerns due to their potential to open unexpectedly. Their stylish appearance and easier access to the car’s interior led to a resurgence in popularity for some luxury and innovative modern vehicles.
 
How to identify suicide doors

• Hinge location: Unlike typical front-hinged doors, suicide doors are attached to the car’s frame at the rear. 
• Opening direction: When opened, they swing backward, away from the front of the car. 
• Often on rear doors: While not exclusive to them, they are frequently seen on the rear doors of a vehicle. 

Why they are called suicide doors

• Safety concerns: The term “suicide door” was given due to the risk of passengers being ejected from the vehicle if the doors weren’t latched properly, especially in the pre-seatbelt era. 
• Aerodynamic forces: Aerodynamic forces from a moving vehicle could also cause the doors to open unexpectedly and forcefully. 

Advantages and disadvantages

• Aesthetics: Their distinctive appearance creates a stylish, luxurious, or innovative look. 
• Ease of access: They provide a wide opening for easier entry and exit for passengers. 
• Safety hazards: The potential for the doors to blow open during driving remains a significant risk. 

Modern examples

• While declining in the mid-20th century, modern safety features and engineering advancements have allowed for their return in select vehicles. 
• Examples of cars that have featured suicide doors include the Rolls-Royce Phantom and the Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition. 

Why are suicide doors not used anymore?

‘Suicide’ doors largely disappeared due to previously mentioned structural integrity issues resulting from having no B-Pillar which an increasing focus on safety and crash testing in the latter part of the last century would have driven.