So, you’re driving along and somehow your car manages to get stuck in snow and/or ice. After you’ve tried just about everything in the book, you realize that you’re going to be late for work. No, being caught in a slippery mess such as this no fun at all, but the truth is that getting your car out of this situation is relatively simple. The good news is that it doesn’t require more of the spinning of wheels or putting your car in reverse and then drive.
Your first step in getting your car unstuck from snow and ice is to simply start out by taking it slowly. If you’ve been trying to floor your way out of the mess, this may have been where you’ve went wrong. Spinning the wheels too fast can actually worsen the situation by making the car dig even deeper into the mess. Instead of trying to immediately plow your way out of the ice or snow, simply keep the car in drive or revere and don’t press the gas pedal. Make sure the wheels are straightened out as well. Sometimes, letting your car roll in drive is enough to free it from the mess. Next, try putting the car in 2nd gear if the first method didn’t work.
In the case that you’re still unfortunately stick, your next plan of action is to do whatever you have to do to remove the snow or ice around the tires. This typically means using a shovel. If you aren’t fortunate enough to have a shovel on hand, you might have to remove the snow or ice by hand. If you live in an area that frequently produces snowy conditions, you might want to invest in a good shovel for future instances. If you must remove by hand, remove a good portion behind and in front of all of the tires. Make sure you can see the ground in both places around each tire. Once you’ve done this, return to the driver’s seat of your car, make sure the wheels are straight, and gently try to drive the car out of the area.
If you’ve unfortunately arrived at this step with no luck, you could either try to place boards in front of and behind each tire to create traction, or you could resort to having someone else pull your vehicle out with a chain. It’s not likely that you will have boards lying around in your car, but if you do, be sure to make use of them in this situation. If you’re still stuck in the snow or ice, get a friend with a durable and strong vehicle to pull yours to safety. Tell your friend to go easy on the acceleration as well because it’s very possible that he/she could end up in the exact same situation.