Here’s How to MacGyver Your Stuck Car Out of the Snow

When most people hear a big snow storm is on the way they do their part to take inventory of the food, water, batteries and other supplies they have in their home.

But fewer people think ahead about what they're going to do if car gets stuck in the snow away from home.

The reality is, few drivers leave home fully prepared in case their vehicle gets stuck. So if you're the type who doesn't think ahead (or if you're stuck right now and just found this), check out some tips below on how to extract your car from the snow.

Before we get started, a warning: 

Always check around your tailpipe before starting your engine!

If your tailpipe is buried in snow it can cause toxic exhaust to build up in your car. Don't start your engine until you can be sure your tailpipe isn't covered in snow.

1. Remove Snow and Prepare the Ground

If you live in an area that gets harsh winters, you should have a snow shovel in your car at all times. But if you don't have a shovel, look for any kind of flattened surface that could be used as a tool to help you remove snow. 

• Remove as much snow as possible, especially from around the tires.
• Break up ice; use an ice pick, shovel, ice scraper or even the wrench that comes with your car jack. Ice will cause your car's tires to spin, which can get you even more stuck. 
• Create traction. If you have any gritty substance with you—sand, gravel, salt, kitty litter, etc.—pour it around your tires. Smashing up even a thin layer of ice will improve traction around your vehicle.
  • You can also use your floor mats, a piece of cardboard, plywood or anything that you can make into a sheet to create traction.
  • Think twice before using a blanket or something that could potentially keep you warm if you're stranded for a long period of time.

2. Driving Out

At some point you're (hopefully) going to have to drive out of where you were stuck. There are a few techniques you can use to make this go well.

Before you go anywhere, do these three things where applicable:

• Turn on All-Wheel Drive if you have it.
• Shift to the lowest gear. This is something drivers accustomed to automatic transmissions often forget; you can and should down-shift when you're trying to get out of snow and ice. The lowest gear will give your wheels more power and make sure they spin more slowly.
• Straighten your wheels. It just makes it easier if your car has to go in only one direction. If you can remove any obstacles that would force you to have to turn before your completely free of the snow, you should do so.   
• Think ahead. Once you're out, where are you going? If the road is covered in snow, the best way to not get stuck again is to keep moving!

Now that you've prepared, here's how to actually approach driving your car out. 

• The Braking Technique. You generally want to keep your tires from spinning in place, so the braking technique is a way to further optimize each turn of your tires.
  • Gently apply the brakes while also giving the engine a little gas. 
  • If the car doesn't move right away, you can turn the wheels in either direction to see if you find any traction. If not, straighten out again. 
  • Don't try this method for more than a few seconds at a time, so you don't overheat your brakes. 
• The Rocking Technique. The idea is to move the car forward and backwards to create space, break up snow and ice around the tires and hopefully find enough traction to get free.
  • Roll down your window, turn off the radio and tell your companions to pipe down so you can listen for any tire-spinning.
  • Straighten your wheel.
  • Down shift to your vehicle's lowest gear to move forward, applying the gas just slightly.
  • Reverse. Any movement is positive.
  • Repeat a few times to see if you make any progress. Stop immediately if your tires are spinning.
• Depressurizing. You should only resort to letting air out of your tires as a last resort—and even then only if you know you can refill them nearby. Deflating your tires a bit puts more rubber in contact with the ground, thereby improving traction on snow. But it's also not safe to drive for long on under-inflated tires.
  • Let out just enough air from your tires so they look visibly lower. If you don't have a tire pressure gauge, you can also use a pen or a key to press the release valve on the tire.

3. Phone a Friend

More muscle can't hurt! 

But if you call your friends to help get your car out of a snow bank, you must understand that this obligates you to at least host a pizza party for them. 

Photo: Getty Images