Whether you prepared for it or not, Hoosiers all across the state woke up to a winter wonderland. Although beautiful and serene, snow can pose several dangers to drivers on the road. One of the most common vehicular incidents related to snowy weather is getting stuck. If you are stuck in the snow right now and searching for the easier way out, you have found the right blog.
Continue reading to learn how to free your car from the snow, including how to obtain the fastest solution if nothing you do seems to work.
What NOT to Do
Before getting to the part on how to free your car that is stuck in snow, you need to review some important safety standards to ensure you and your vehicle are not in any danger. First, be sure you and any passengers are far away from the road and out of the way of traffic. Next, it is important to put your blinkers, or hazard lights, on to warn oncoming traffic of your post. When stuck in a ditch, it is important to never stand behind the downward sloping end of the vehicle. This poses the risk of being run over by the car if it frees and rolls down on top of you. Furthermore, never attempt to push a car out of a ditch, as the same risk applies.
How to Get Started
Now that you are familiar with some of the most important safety points, you are ready to do what you can to free your car from the snowy impound it is in. To start, surround your vehicle’s perimeter with roadside assistance triangles, if you have them. If not, start by clearing out as much snow as you can from behind and in front of each tire, as well as underneath the car. Use your hands, ice scraper, cup, or anything else you have that can help you scoop and clear snow. If part of your wheels are on a road, it is important that you take extreme precaution against oncoming traffic. In fact, it is recommended to abort the project and call a professional if your vehicle is along a busy road.
After you have cleared a few feet of snow in front of and behind your tires, you can choose to attempt the “rocking method”, which literally involves switching back and forth from drive to reverse until the car springs free from the snow or ditch. However, be warned that this approach is not recommended since it can damage the transmission if done improperly.
If you feel confident in this method, just be sure the car is motionless before switching gears by hitting the brake as soon as it is in the peak of each “rock.” Just do not “floor” the gas. You may need to try this step a few times before it works. If it doesn’t work after a few attempts, you still have one more option. According to Consumer Reports, it is important to keep the wheels straight while doing this. Avoid spinning your tires because this will only dig you deeper into the mud.
If this approach doesn’t do the trick, you can try to add more traction behind every wheel of the car with anything you have on hand that will provide a driving surface, such as cat litter, cardboard, floormats, old shirts, and similar items. For cars that are front-wheel drive, put the items in the front of each tire.
Still Stuck?
Contact a 24 Hour Roadside Assistance Truck
Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for friendly 24 hour towing and roadside assistance and advice in Central Indiana. We open a family-owned and operated business for 90 years, so you can trust us for prompt and professional service. We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, so our certified tow truck operators can be there for you anytime, any day! Request free estimates, anytime.
