How to Get Your Car Out of the Snow

Everyone else is enjoying the winter wonderland and you would be too, if you could get your car out of the snowdrift. A common nuisance of living in a snow-swept climate is the occasional need to dig your automobile out of the snow. However, armed with a few techniques, you can be back on the road in no time.

Instructions

1. Get out of your vehicle and assess the situation as soon as you discover your tires are spinning. It won't do any good to floor the accelerator and dig your automobile deeper into the drift. You'll just make the situation worse.

2. Dig around and find your car's tailpipe. Not only will a blocked tailpipe cause your engine to stall, it could filter poisonous gas inside of your car.

3. Clear ice and snow buildup from the windows. If you can't see clearly, you can't safely drive out once your car is free. After scraping off the worst of it, start your engine and let your defroster do the rest.

4. Shovel away the snow in a direct path where your car will move when it is free. Keep a collapsible snow shovel in your trunk along with a container of road salt. Try to make a path behind your car since traction from the rear wheels is the most productive.

5. Sprinkle a little road salt on the path directly behind your rear tires and place one floor mat behind each tire. Allow the melted snow to refreeze, holding the mat in place. This usually takes a few minutes.

6. Put your car into reverse and gradually give it some gas to pull the rear wheels up and over the mats. The mats will adhere to the hard packed snow if you go slowly. Once you start rolling, avoid stopping until your car is free from the drift.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider staying home if the forecast is for heavy snow.