All us drivers remember taking drivers ed — those days where you’d sit in a class full of eager students who just wanted to get out and drive.

So you passed the class. What’s next? A car and a license, of course.

One helpful tip taught in drivers training is keeping an organized car at all times.

Having an organized car can keep you that much safer on the road.

For instance, imagine you’re driving to the grocery store. Suddenly, a child darts into the street. You instinctively hit your brakes with great force.

Your week old cup of Diet Coke tips forward spilling all over the center console, your pile of school papers fly off the passenger seat, flooding the car floor, and all the garbage on the back seat floor rolls to your feet.

You’re busy keeping yourself and the child safe, meanwhile you have total chaos inside your vehicle.

It’s situations like this one and many others that can create an unsafe environment on the road for you and everyone else.

In order to keep everything in place while on the go, I suggest using things already placed in your car.

Let’s start at the front end of your car.

The glove compartment: It’s an easy accessible cavity to hide away important small items.

It seems quite obvious, but many people won’t take the time to use it.

Small belongings like a tire pressure gauge, car information, gloves, a flash light, and feminine hygiene products fit great in the glove compartment.

Another option is the center compartment. In most cars, there is enough space to store a few things.

Senior Samantha Roberts isn’t the most organized when it comes to her car, but she has a few suggestions when it comes to necessities.

“Perfume, deodorant, lip balm, a tire gauge, an extra pair of shoes, and a car phone charger,” Roberts said.

Senior Jake Jackson also suggests keeping a spare tire, emergency tool kit, and an extra hoodie somewhere in your car.

“I keep all my tools organized in my trunk,” Jackson said. “I also like to keep any insurance information all together in a baggie in the glove box.”

Not only is it important to keep certain items in your car, it’s also important to store them.

Roberts said, “I always keep my backpack in the back seat and any personal belongings in the front console.”

With so many items that are needed in your car, it’s never OK to leave it a mess.

Roberts tries to keep her car clean by utilizing a garbage bag in the back seat.

“I always go to the car wash to use the vacuum and then throw the bag of trash away,” Roberts said.

Along with tools in the trunk, suggested by Jackson, the trunk can store many useful items.

Things such as a blanket, sports equipment, jumper cables, and a first aid kit are good to keep in your trunk for just-in-case purposes.

With so many drivers on the road, we all need to work together to keep each other safe. The first step of safe driving is keeping your car clean.