Nobody thinks of a car just as transportation anymore. For most of us, our cars have turned into dining areas, entertainment centers, home offices and maybe even the kids’ playroom, all rolled into one. Every day, for instance, the typical American spends nearly an hour and a half in the car and eats one out of every five meals there. Of course, such multifunctionalism usually means mountains of clutter—everything from laptops to travel mugs, Game Boys to groceries. It not only drives you crazy, but also seriously affects your safety.

Every year, car-clutter injures an estimated 13,000 people, including 3,000 children. If that stat seems hard to believe, think about this: Anything loose inside your car becomes a projectile in a sudden stop or crash, and its dangerous momentum multiplies with the speed from which you decelerate. When you hit the brakes at 45 mph, for instance, the G.I. Joe in the back seat continues to travel at 45 mph until some other force acts upon it, like meeting the back of your skull.

But you can protect yourself and your passengers—and eliminate a lot of behind-the-wheel distractions—by following a few easy rules.

1 Identify essential stuff. Remove everything—everything!—from your car, dividing it into two piles: “Essential” (things you’ve needed in the past year) and “nonessential” (things you can’t remember using). Subdivide the essentials into “everyday” and “seasonal,” and put away all off-season stuff (snow brushes, scrapers and de-icers in spring; umbrellas, ponchos and sunscreens in fall) in the garage or basement.

2 Start storing from the rear. “From a safety perspective, the best place is the trunk or other area that isn’t open to the passenger compartment,” says Dr. William Van Tassel, director of driver training operations for AAA. “In an SUV, crossover or minivan that would mean the floor of the cargo area behind the last row of seats.” Although the trunk or cargo area may seem to be a long way from the driver’s seat, you’ll be surprised at the number of things you don’t really need close at hand—first aid kits, jumper cables and such.

To keep items orderly and secure back there, some vehicles have cargo netting or builtin compartments. If yours doesn’t, then simple plastic bins with snapon lids will do. Or, you can get purpose-designed cargo organizers at autoaccessory retailers or at Websites such as cargogear.com or amazon.com. For instance, the Rola 59001 MOVE organizer ($60 from Amazon) has a rigid, nonslip base and adjustable dividers that accommodate items of various sizes.

3 Corral backseat cargo on the front seatbacks. Unfortunately, the skinny seatback pockets on most vehicles don’t hold much more than a few maps, much less all the juice boxes, water bottles, books and toys that keep kids amused on daily errands. But hanging seatback organizers work wonders. Made of netting or fabric, they expand capacity, eliminate dangerously loose clutter and keep stuff within easy reach of kids in booster seats.

“You want to look for products that hang on the front seatbacks and tie down at the bottom, so they don’t swing or fly up during a sudden stop,” warns Van Tassel. Besides, organizers without a secure tiedown tend to restrict leg and foot room in the backseat and make entry and exit a hassle.

As an alternative, pack all the kids’ gear in a backpack and loop the shoulder strap through a lap belt. It not only keeps everything within the child’s reach but also prevents the bundle from being unexpectedly airborne.

4 Keep your office off the front seat. Veteran road warriors know the big problem with most aftermarket frontseat mobileoffice organizers: They tend to slide off during a sudden stop. Worse yet, they advertise the location of your laptop, PDA and other electronics, presenting a tempting target for smash-andgrab thieves. High Road’s Front Seat Car organizer (about $40 from protravelgear. com) stands out as an exception. You can secure it with a safety belt, and it has handles for easier toting when you leave the car unattended.

Nevertheless, from a safety and security perspective, the floor is usually the best place for your laptop, briefcase and other mobile-office paraphernalia. Shallow boxes that slide under the seat keep valuable electronics out of sight. You might say, “But I can’t reach them while I’m driving!” In fact, that’s a plus. Studies show that taking your eyes off the road for longer than two seconds nearly doubles your risk of a crash. Floor storage removes the temptation to pull out a cell phone or other work equipment when you should be focusing on the road.

5 Strictly enforce a “no-emptyhands” policy. Above all, make sure that no one leaves the car empty-handed. Every family member should share the responsibility for removing accumulated trash, toys and shopping bags after every trip. If something doesn’t have a designated place in the car, then it goes back in the house immediately. That way, your car will stay clutter-free longer.