How to get your vehicle unstuck from snow, safely

Getting stuck is one of those winter rites of passage. A drift across the end of the driveway, a plowed-in parking spot, a soft shoulder on a country road. Most of the time you can get yourself out in a few minutes with a little patience. The trick is doing it without hurting yourself, your vehicle, or anyone nearby.

Why it happens so often here

In southern Alberta the wind does a lot of the work. Snow drifts into hard, packed ridges across roads and lanes, sometimes under a blue sky. Chinooks soften the snow during the day, then it freezes into ruts and ice overnight. That mix of packed drifts and slick ruts is exactly what traps tires. We wrote more about how wind closes roads in Blowing snow can close a road under a blue sky.

First: is it safe to try?

AMA’s first advice is simple: don’t panic. Catch your breath, check for injuries, and decide whether you can free the vehicle yourself or should call for help.

• If anyone is hurt, call 911.
• If you are on a busy road or a highway shoulder, think hard before getting out. Traffic is the bigger danger.
• If it is a storm, a whiteout or extreme cold, stay inside. The Government of Canada’s advice is to stay in your vehicle if you are trapped, and to keep the tailpipe clear of snow and ice.
• Check the vehicle for damage before you drive on.

Step by step: getting unstuck

1. Clear the tailpipe

Before anything else, make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t blocked with snow. A blocked tailpipe can push carbon monoxide into the cab while you sit with the engine running.

2. Straighten the wheels

AMA recommends making sure all wheels are pointing straight. Turned wheels push snow instead of rolling over it.

3. Dig a little path

Shovel snow away from the front, back and underneath each tire, and clear any snow packed under the vehicle that may be holding it up. You don’t need a long trench. A short, clear runway in front of and behind each wheel is usually enough.

4. Add traction

Sprinkle sand or kitty litter in the paths you dug. Traction mats work well too. In a pinch, your vehicle’s floor mats can go under the wheel that spins most. CAA notes that road salt isn’t a good choice for this, since it can rust your vehicle.

5. Turn off traction control

This sounds backwards, but both AMA and CAA Saskatchewan suggest it. Traction control can cut power to a spinning wheel, which can keep you from moving at all in deep snow. Check your owner’s manual for how to switch it off, and turn it back on once you’re free.

6. Gentle gas, then rock

• CAA Saskatchewan suggests trying reverse first, since the snow behind you is already packed down from driving in.
• Apply the gas very smoothly. Hard acceleration just spins the tires.
• When the vehicle stops moving forward, AMA says to press the brake so you don’t roll back into the rut, then try reverse. Alternating back and forth builds a little momentum.
• Go slowly. Rocking puts strain on the transmission, so if a few tries don’t work, stop and rethink.

7. Last resort: a little less air

CAA Saskatchewan mentions letting a small amount of air out of the tires to give them a wider footprint. If you do this, drive gently and refill the tires to the proper pressure as soon as you can.

Safety while you dig

• Pace yourself. Shovelling heavy, packed snow is hard work, especially in the cold. Take breaks.
• Keep people clear of the wheels while someone is giving it gas. Spinning tires can throw ice and gravel.
• Don’t stand behind or in front of the vehicle while it is rocking.
• Turn on your hazard lights if you are anywhere near traffic.
• Pushing? Push from the side of the body, never directly in line with a spinning wheel, and only at walking speed.

When to call for help

It’s time to stop and call roadside assistance or a tow when:

• the vehicle is high-centred on packed snow or a curb;
• you’re in a ditch or on a steep slope;
• you’re on a highway shoulder with traffic going by;
• the weather is getting worse, or you’re getting cold and tired.

While you wait, stay in the vehicle, keep the tailpipe clear, run the engine only now and then for heat with a window cracked, and use the blanket and warm layers from your winter kit.

Prevention helps

Good winter tires, a full tank, and a shovel and traction aid in the back make a big difference. Our post on how to build a winter car kit for southern Alberta has the full list. Check 511 Alberta and the Lethbridge forecast before heading out of town, and if the wind is up and snow is blowing, it may be a good day to stay home.

Sources

• AMA Insider: Stuck in the white stuff
• CAA Saskatchewan: 6 things to do when your car is stuck in snow
• CAA Saskatchewan: Winter driving, I’m stuck, now what?
• Canadian Automobile Association: Emergency kit
• Government of Canada: Winter storms, how to prepare