Get your car out of the snow with our handy tips

The winter season can be beautiful, with its snow-covered landscapes and winter sports feeling. However, driving in the snow can be a challenge, especially if your car gets stuck in a pile of snow after parking or driving off the road. Whether you are on your way to work or on a holiday in the mountains, it is important to know how to get your car out of the snow. In this blog, we will give you some useful tips on how to get your car out of the snow.

Clear the area around the car of snow

The first step to getting your car out of the snow is to shovel the snow away from around the car. Use a snow shovel or another type of shovel to do this. If you don’t have one, put on gloves and start digging the snow away. Start by removing snow from the exhaust pipe and clear it away from around the wheels. Make sure to remove any snow that is blocking the movement of the car.

Turn off traction control

When your car is stuck in the snow, it is important that your car tires regain grip. Switching off the traction control can help with this. Normally, this system ensures that wheels do not skid when accelerating too hard or on wet roads. When your car is stuck in the snow, the traction control works in the opposite way. By switching off this function, the wheels get a little more movement, which gives you better grip on the road surface when driving away. When you are out of the snow, switch the traction control back on.

Lowest gear

Getting your car out of the snow is not possible by giving it a lot of gas. That will cause the tires to spin and you will dig yourself deeper into the snow. Put your car in the lowest gear and give it gas carefully. Give it gas in a measured way, otherwise you will end up in a wheel spin, which in the most extreme case can lead to an explosion of the tire.

Try to get out of previous tracks

If you can't get your car out of the snow with little gas, you can ask one or two people to rock your car back and forth while you stay in the car and accelerate. This will free you from previous ruts, which makes it easier to get traction. In any case, make sure your wheels are straight and drive forwards and backwards until you have traction.

If this doesn't work, you can also try placing mats or pieces of cardboard in front of the drive wheels. Spreading salt or antifreeze can also help. Both substances melt the ice around your tires. You should clean up antifreeze immediately, because it is toxic to the environment.

Automatic works a little differently

An automatic transmission drives a little differently than a manual transmission. When you drive an automatic transmission, you constantly switch between drive and reverse. With a manual transmission, you switch between second gear and reverse. Read more about tips for driving in snow with an automatic transmission in this blog.

Lower tire pressure

You can also cause friction by lowering the tire pressure. This involves letting some air escape from your tire. You should only do this if you can immediately pump up the tires again. If the tire pressure is not correct when you are on the road, this can have nasty consequences for your tires.

Be prepared on your way

In case of snowfall and slippery conditions it is advisable to stay home, but sometimes you just have to go out. In these cases, be well prepared. Make your car winter-proof by, for example, fitting the right tires under your car. Read this article to find out how to prepare your car for winter.Winter tires are always recommended in snow and winter conditions. Read here about the risks of driving with summer tires in the snow. Always take something to drink and eat with you, so that if you come to a standstill you can eat and drink something. In any case, make sure that you adapt your driving style to the winter weather conditions. Read our tips for driving in the snow here.