What is an essential part of vehicle safety before starting your trip?

Performing a thorough pre-trip inspection is crucial for vehicle safety before starting any trip. This inspection allows the driver to check critical systems and components of the vehicle, ensuring everything is functioning properly. These checks typically include inspecting lights, brakes, tires, fluid levels, and any other essential parts, which can help prevent mechanical failures on the road. By identifying potential issues before departure, drivers can address them proactively, thus ensuring not only their safety but also the safety of others on the road.

While adjusting the seat and checking the weather conditions can contribute to a safer drive, they do not provide the comprehensive assessment of vehicle safety that a pre-trip inspection does. Listening to the radio is unrelated to ensuring the vehicle's operational readiness. Checking the weather is a good practice but does not substitute for the critical safety checks that the pre-trip inspection entails.