Is there anything more American than the road trip? Wide open roads, exciting destinations, and, of course, the silliest roadside attractions you can imagine. But before you head out in search of America, you need to make sure your car is up to the task of travel. Fortunately, this professional mechanic has a quick walk-around checklist to make sure you’re road-worthy. 

An experienced mechanic shares what you need to do before you head out on that awesome road trip

Sherwood at Royalty Auto Service in Georgia has been working on cars for a long, long time. And he knows exactly what even the least mechanically-inclined owners need to do to make sure their cars are ready for a grand road trip. 

Expect the worst (weather)

“First step,” Sherwood says, gesturing toward the windshield. “Be sure the wipers clear the windshield and the washers spray the whole windshield.” You don’t want to be caught in hard rainfall with wipers that don’t work. 

Fortunately, wipers are an easy consumable to replace. Should your wipers be on their last leg, an employee at a major auto parts retailer can sell you a replacement set and often replace them for you on the spot. Easy day. 

Don’t forget the lights

“Have someone else help you,” the mechanic reminds viewers. “Check your headlights, check your taillights, check your turn signals.”

“And check your license plate lights,” he adds. “You don’t want to get a ticket because you were out traveling and you run into the wrong guy on the wrong day,” he cautions, referring to a police officer writing a citation for something as simple as a license plate light. 

He’s not wrong, though. Every state requires some sort of visibility device for rear-facing license plates. The exception, however, is the 19 states that don’t mandate front license plates, like Florida, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. Always check your license plate light before taking off on a road trip.

Under pressure. Tire pressure, that is

Never embark on a road trip with insufficient tread or tire pressure. “Every car is going to have a placard or sticker on the door,” he says. And that sticker will contain vital information, like optimal tire pressure for front, rear, and spare tires.

“Always, always check that spare tire. It really is a bad day if you’re out traveling, you have a flat, and you don’t have a spare. Or you do have a spare, and it’s empty.” Too true.

However, not every vehicle has a factory spare tire or space saver tire. At the very least, it’s up to you as the driver to ensure you have a fix-a-flat, a patch kit, or, better yet, access to roadside assistance.  

Don’t let the essentials under the hood intimidate you

That engine compartment could seem daunting, but you can’t afford to neglect it. “We’re going to check our fluids,” Sherwood said as he leaned in to inspect the brake fluid reservoir.

He flashes his light at the reservoir, which is typically located near the driver-side firewall of the engine compartment. “There are markings on the side. If it’s inside the full-to-minimum [markings], you don’t need to add.”

Sherwood reminds drivers to check washer fluid, oil, and coolant levels. “Coolant. Do not open your radiator when it’s hot.” It’s true, too; doing so can lead to severe burns from steam and hot liquid.

“If you’ve got a dipstick, check it,” Sherwood says, offering shrewd advice. “If not, have a professional check it.”

“And the last thing: check your battery cables,” he reminds viewers. “Grab a hold of those things, make sure they’re tight. Put a little oomph on them,” he said as he wiggles the battery cables, confirming they’re tight.

These pre-road trip tips are just the basics

In addition to these vital points, you should always have a few things in your car for emergencies. For starters, I recommend a combination seatbelt cutter/window smasher.

Put together an emergency kit, too. Include life-saving contents like water, a flashlight, a space blanket, an emergency triangle, jumper cables, and a means to charge your cellphone.

MotorBiscuit reached out to @royaltyautoservice for comment via TikTok comment.