Winter Car PrepWinter Driving: What to Do If You Get Stuck in Snow
Stop spinning, start rocking — the moves that actually get you out.
It happens fast: one unplowed side street, one deep drift at the end of the driveway, and suddenly the wheels are spinning and the car isn't moving. What you do in the next two minutes decides whether you're out in five minutes or waiting an hour for a tow.
First: stop spinning the wheels
The instinct is to press harder. Don't. A spinning tire melts the snow beneath it into ice, digs itself a deeper hole, and can overheat your transmission. If the car isn't moving after a second or two of gentle throttle, take your foot off the gas.
Clear snow first
Get out and clear the snow from around all four tires, especially in front of the drive wheels (front for most cars, rear for trucks). Clear a path a metre or two ahead of the tires in the direction you want to go. And clear the exhaust pipe — a blocked exhaust pushes carbon monoxide into the cabin when the engine is running. If you have a folding shovel in your emergency kit, this is the moment it earns its place.
Rock the car
Rocking is the move that works. Shift to drive and roll forward gently until the car stops, then immediately shift to reverse and roll back, then drive again — building a little more momentum each time, like a swing. Keep it gentle and rhythmic; don't slam between gears. Most cars will walk themselves out of a drift in a few rocks. If your car has a traction control button, turn traction control off for this — it cuts power exactly when you're trying to build momentum, and you can turn it back on once you're rolling.
Add traction under the tires
If rocking alone isn't enough, put something grippy under the drive wheels: sand, cat litter, gravel, or a traction mat if you carry one. In a pinch, your car's floor mats work — jam them under the tires, tread-side down. Small branches or twigs from the roadside work too. Anything that gives the tire something to bite instead of polished ice.
The last resort: lower the pressure
Letting a little air out of the drive tires — down to about 20 PSI — widens the tire's footprint and can find grip where a fully inflated tire can't. It's a last resort, and you must re-inflate as soon as you're out (driving on under-inflated tires damages them and handles badly). Only do this if you have a way to pump them back up.
When to stay put
If the car is truly buried, or you're on a highway in a whiteout, the car is the safest place to be. Turn on the hazard lights, stay inside, and call for help. Run the engine for heat 10 to 15 minutes per hour, crack a window for fresh air, and keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow. Tie something bright to the antenna or door handle so plows and rescuers can see you.
Don't get stuck in the first place
Winter tires, a shovel in the trunk, and a full tank of gas prevent most stuck situations. Avoid unplowed roads when you can, and never drive into a drift you can't see the bottom of. The five minutes a plowed route adds is always cheaper than the hour a tow takes.