what is it that people look for when people do a safety check? i am about to embark on one and i would like some past experience or simply knowldege of what to look out for..? thanks alot??

You want to check quite a few of the things that make a car safe to operate.

lights, check all lights for working

horn, check operation

wipers, check condition of rubber blades and your window washer.

brakes, check pads and look at rotors for scoring. check the brake fluid reservoir for level and condition of fluid.

suspension, check for clunks, bad shocks, looseness in the steering.

tires, are they cracking, or tread worn out, how are they inflated?

glazing(glass), any cracks, chips or leaks?

on the motor look at the condition of the belts and condition of rubber hoses.
look at the plug wires and distributor cap and rotor. check the condition and level of all fluids in the engine compartment.

check for corrosion in the floors under the rear seat carpets and the rear of the car around the spare tire wells. make sure you check the whole under side if possible.

Make yourself a list of the things and note their condition using
a basic good,fair,poor rating. That ought to get you started. Wish you well.
Dave 82 242ti 276k mi.

Thanks Dave thats Really helpful!

while you're at it, check spare tire inflation and oil your jack...few things as humbling as a flat spare.

One other item: check for presence of fire extinguisher!

One other item: check for presence of fire extinguisher!

Older car = (gasoline inside fading plumbing) + (electricity in fading insulation) + hot metal + confined space.