When a vehicle passenger sitting on a vehicle seat or a body part of the vehicle passenger is moved away from a collision side of the vehicle by a passenger protection mechanism a reaction of a driver of the vehicle following the triggering of the passenger protection mechanism is monitored. If a steering movement implemented in an uncontrolled manner by the driver, resulting from an incorrect triggering of the passenger protection mechanism, is detected at least one intervention correcting the lane is implemented in such a way that the vehicle is guided back into its original lane.