For many who are back to school, safety is a subject that is put on the back burner.

Whether you’re a teen in high school, a young adult in college, or a parent of a small child, safety should be your priority and that includes personal and vehicle safety.

Experts have been urging students and parents across the country to follow a series of important steps to ensure that safety is preserved at all times and personal injury incidents and thefts are avoided. When it comes to personal safety, consumers are urged to make sure to adopt an attitude of personal responsibility. That, experts say, may help to boost your awareness of your surroundings, thus boosting your own safety.

What Experts Say

According to experts, one of the most important steps you must take to make sure personal injury accidents are avoided when heading out to school is to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Remember that using your phone to text or call when you’re either walking or driving is a distraction that could expose you to a series of risks that range from theft to personal injury accidents.

If you are going to be using a phone, either wait until you arrive at your destination or pull over safely to do so.

Experts also urge you to let others know when you’re going out, where you’re going, and when you will be back. Having someone watching over you could help in case you’re involved in an accident or another situation and do not make it back at the set time.

When it comes to vehicle safety, experts urge drivers to avoid parking in isolated or even dark places. Also, sitting inside your vehicle for extended periods of times could also increase the risk of certain incidents. For theft protection, avoid leaving valuable items inside your car, and if you do not feel safe where you usually park, make use of a steering wheel lock.

If you’ll be away from your vehicle for just a short period of time, make sure to lock all doors before you leave.

To avoid accidents near schools, make sure to respect road rules and signs, avoid going above the speed limit, and make sure to be especially careful when driving near intersections and crosswalks.

Whether you’re a parent or a student, keeping in mind that distractions could expose you to serious risks could go a long way when it comes to ensuring that you’re not responsible for a personal injury accident.