What should you do before starting a car?

Before starting a car, visually checking your tire pressure is an important step in ensuring your safety and the vehicle's performance. Proper tire pressure is crucial for maintaining good traction, effective braking, and overall vehicle stability. If the tires are under-inflated, it can lead to poor handling, increased wear on the tires, and higher fuel consumption. Additionally, tires that are not properly inflated can increase the likelihood of tire blowouts, which can be dangerous while driving.

Checking tire pressure visually can include looking for obvious signs of deflation or wear, though it's also recommended to use a pressure gauge periodically to get an accurate reading. This step is foundational to safe driving practices and should be part of a regular inspection routine.

The other options, while they may pertain to vehicle maintenance or readiness, do not address the immediate concerns related to starting the car and ensuring it is safe to operate. Checking fuel level can be important but is more about ensuring you have enough gas for the trip rather than a safety issue. Activating the windshield wipers and checking the air conditioning system are more operational checks that do not precede the start of the vehicle and are not critical to the safety of driving immediately.