What should be done when checking your vehicle's lights before driving?

When checking your vehicle's lights before driving, it is important to ensure that the engine is turned off. This practice allows you to check the lights safely without the interference of engine noise and minimizes the risk of accidental vehicle movement.

With the engine off, you can check each individual light – including headlights, turn signals, brake lights, and taillights – to confirm they are functioning properly. This also ensures that you are in a controlled environment, and it avoids any potential accidents that could happen if the vehicle were moving or if the ignition were on.

Testing lights during nighttime or while the vehicle is in motion would not provide accurate feedback on light function and can create safety hazards. Additionally, running the engine while the lights are checked could lead to misinterpretation of how the lights respond under different power conditions. Therefore, ensuring the engine is turned off is the safest and most effective approach during this pre-driving check.