The more that you can prevent a deadly or severe accident, the safer you and your passengers will feel. It is important that you drive safely, not just for your own purposes but also for your passengers and other drivers on the road. Some tips for doing this include always wearing your seatbelt, sticking to the speed limit and being mindful of any road conditions or weather conditions that have changed, and never engage in distracted or drunk driving. Some of the most common reasons for vehicle accidents could all be prevented if people were more mindful of being behind the wheel.

Your decision to make passenger safety a priority will make everyone inside the car feel more comfortable. Some simple steps can help you accomplish this goal and avoid accidents.

Make sure that your passengers are aware of your own rules within the car. Anyone who is highly distracting or encouraging you to engage in reckless behavior should be reconsidered as a passenger you wish to drive with often. Furthermore, if you have teenage children, passengers can be one of the riskiest aspects of allowing your own teenage son or daughter behind the wheel. This is because passengers are especially distracting for inexperienced drivers. Since teens have a higher likelihood of getting involved in distracted driving to begin with, it’s valuable to plan ahead and ensure that you have strict rules about which passengers can be inside the car and when. Combining distracted driving, passengers inside the car and night driving for example, could be a deadly recipe.

Even when you have passenger safety top of mind, accidents can and do happen. Filing an injury claim might be necessary if you or other passengers are hurt because of another person’s reckless behavior, such as speeding or driving under the influence.