Anyone who has ever owned a car understands that driving one entails a certain level of danger. Apparently, there’s something lethal in the fact that you’re sitting inside the compartment of a highway missile going 140 mph. Nothing can match the excitement of getting behind the wheel of a fine-tuned machine that’s built for speed, like the Agera RS.

But you have to admit that speed also comes with the prospect of losing control of your vehicle, passing out from the impact with a lamppost, and ending up at the emergency room, all dazed and confused. This might not happen, but it has already happened to thousands of people daily, and not all of them have experienced crashing into a lamppost.

To give you a concrete illustration of the severity of global on-road mishaps, the Association for Safe International Road Travel points out that 1.3 million people die from road collisions every year, with at least 20 million people left injured. And as car companies continue to introduce faster models to the market each year, it has become important for a lot of people to take heed of basic road safety principles to avoid being added to the list of fatalities.

Here are some of the most important things to consider when you’re cruising down the freeway on a Sunday afternoon.

Replace broken mirrors

In most states, you can actually be flagged down by a traffic enforcer if one of your side mirrors is broken. The reason for this is that side mirrors are a traffic necessity, and you can’t expect to do a good job navigating your way along the asphalt without knowing what’s behind you. So, if ever you get ticketed for a busted up side mirror, you might as well comply. After all, when you’re on the road, all laws are for your own good.

Minimize distractions

We’re living in a world where multitasking isn’t a skill only a few people can have. Right now, it’s possible for someone to drive a  convertible while talking on the phone through a wireless Bluetooth® handset and holding a cup of hot espresso in one hand. But when you are faced with the open road, you should only focus on the stretch of concrete that vanishes into the horizon. Anything that you can’t depend on with your life is a distraction. Technology causing distracted driving accidents has always been an issue that road enforcers need to address. At any rate, it is still up to the individual to have the proper discipline in the face of distractions that lie both inside and outside the car.

Keep the music down

Sometimes, you’re tempted to put your car into fifth gear and turn up the volume on “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins. But for your own safety and that of other motorists as well, you should keep the music down just enough for you to hear the car horn of a delivery truck that’s behind your tail. If you decide on wearing earphones, the same problem persists. What’s important is to keep your eardrums as active as your eyes; that way, you can avoid getting involved in a possible pile-up along the highway.