What To Do if You Drive into a Ditch

If you drive into a ditch, there is a specific set of guidelines you should follow, regardless of your location or the time of day. Continue reading to learn the first 4 tasks to cover after driving into a ditch, including how to get out safely.

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance & Towing 317-247-8484
Indianapolis Roadside Assistance & Towing 317-247-8484

First and Foremost: SAFETY

Your first priority should always be safety. This is especially true for busy streets and highways. First, take a look at yourself and your passengers to confirm whether or not injuries were incurred during the slide off. If someone is hurt, including yourself, contact 911 emergency services immediately.

If no one is hurt, put your parking brake on to prevent further sliding or movement. Do not step out of your car until you are sure there is not oncoming traffic. In fact, it is wise to get out of the passenger door (or whichever door does not face the street).

Sometimes, you do not need to get out of the car if it can simply be driven back onto the road. But for larger and steeper ditches, driving out might present more of a challenge. In this case, move onto the next guideline below.

Second: Change the Load Weight

If your car is not driving out of the ditch, you may need to alter the load weight. This means changing around your cargo to allow better inertia. If you do not have much cargo, then this may not be a necessary step. If you do have cargo, take out as much as you can, and then try to drive out of the ditch, Lighter weight sometimes helps give a vehicle the boost it needs. On the other hand, if you are stuck in snow or mud, more weight is better.

Third: Improve Traction

Things like rock, gravel, sand, and dirt can make your tires spin in place, rather than spring you from the ditch. If this is your problem, try adding some extra traction behind each tire. Use anything that can work, including floor mats, wood boards, cardboard, paper, and even clothing. For front wheel drive vehicles, place the items in the front of the tires.

Fourth: Call for Roadside Assistance

If none of the above methods work for you, your best option is to call a 24 hour roadside assistance service for prompt and professional towing recovery. They have the resources to pull your car out of a ditch, safely and conveniently.

Who to Trust for Dependable 24 Hour Roadside Assistance

Zore's Towing Indianapolis 317-247-8484
Indianapolis Towing & Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for affordably-priced 24 hour emergency roadside assistance in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties. We offer 24 hour service, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Regardless of your roadside assistance needs, we are fully-equipped and always on-duty to help. Choose from fuel delivery, lockout service, jump starts, and more.