A device and a method for monitoring a lateral-acceleration sensor suitable for use in a motor vehicle. A first lateral-acceleration variable is detected which describes the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle. The device also includes a detecting arrangement with which wheel-speed variables are detected that describe the speeds of the individual wheels. Also included is a first determination arrangement with which a variable describing the vehicle speed is determined as a function of at least one wheel-speed variable, and a second determination arrangement with which a second lateral-acceleration variable is determined as a function of at least one wheel-speed variable, as well as a monitoring arrangement in which at least one comparison of the first lateral-acceleration variable to the second lateral-acceleration variable is carried out for monitoring the lateral-acceleration sensor. In addition, an enabling arrangement is provided in which a decision is made about implementation or interruption of the monitoring in the monitoring arrangement. At least one comparison of a wheel-speed variable to the variable describing the vehicle speed is carried out in the enabling arrangement, and the monitoring of the lateral-acceleration sensor takes place depending on the result of this at least one comparison.