Driving seems pretty simple, but it’s actually quite dangerous. Worldwide, more than a million people die each year in car accidents, and a good portion of those accidents occur in the United States. There are a number of reasons accidents occur, and many of them are preventable. Here are some things you can do to help ensure that you don’t wind up as a car accident statistic.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when you are driving is to pay attention and avoid distractions. At any given time, it’s estimated that about 660,000 drivers are using their phones or some other electronic device in the car. Distracted driving plays a big role in many crashes. Many accidents with commercial trucks happen because either the truck driver or the driver of the other vehicle was distracted by something. To help ensure this doesn’t happen to you, make sure you keep your eyes on the road and do not use your phone while you are driving.

Another way to ensure you reduce your chances of an accident is to drive defensively. This means assuming that other drivers are going to make a mistake and backing off. Another big cause of accidents with commercial trucks is driving aggressively. Trying to pass when there isn’t enough room, cutting off other vehicles and following too closely are all very risky behaviors that increase your risk of getting into a serious accident where there is bodily injury.

It would seem like a given to most people that you shouldn’t drive when you are impaired, but there are millions of impaired drivers on the roads every day. Drunk drivers are a big issue, of course, with nearly one-third of all deaths in car accidents caused by drunk driving. But not all impaired drivers are drunk. Many people take to the road when they are on prescription medication that can impair their driving. People also drive when they are sleepy or when they are in a mental state that is not conducive to being on the road. These are all forms of impaired driving, and they should be avoided.

These are just a few of the most obvious things you can do to keep yourself and other drivers more safe on the roads. There are plenty of others. The key is to try to drive as safely as possible when you are in your vehicle.