Vehicle Stuck In The Mud or Snow? Here’s What Texans Need to Know

A Personal Take on Handling Snowy, Icy, or Muddy Road Conditions

With the recent snow and ice and all the water it brings with it, No matter if you're driving a rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, or 4-wheel drive you got stuck and needed help getting unstuck. As a Boy Scout and I've grown up with only one arm all my life I have to think way ahead when something happens. Some in my family have referred to me as a pack rat, and my wife still calls me her overgrown Boy Scout and a couple of my sons have called me their personal G-I Joe.

The One Tool Every Vehicle Should Have

So here goes, you're out with your family you get into a situation on a slick road you end up just off the shoulder of the road, or in the culvert and you're stuck, what do you do? There are several hacks that I will share with you that can help you get out if you have the right things with you in your vehicle and one that I highly recommend every vehicle should have no matter what it really does come in handy. A manual heavy-duty come-along winch, first off they're inexpensive, and once you put them in the trunk or toolbox you'll only pull it out when you're in a jam it's worth its weight in gold.

Everyday Hacks and Techniques

As I've said bad weather has hit recently and then when we get the reins if you go off-road accidentally or on purpose you may get stuck even in a 4-wheel drive truck. These are some of my handy hacks to get you unstuck. You can always call a tow truck, but that costs money. Use a manual or electric winch, if you have one stashed in the trunk or toolbox. I've also used a 2x4 or 2x6 piece of lumber, and another is using a beach towel or blanket tied to the tire as seen in the video below.

Get our free mobile app

Nonetheless, Here Are My Handy Hacks To Get You Unstuck:

1. The “Rocking” Technique: Gently shift between drive (forward) and reverse (backward) to create momentum. Gently press on the gas, and avoid spinning tires too fast, it will worsen ruts and you'll be more stuck. Gently use drive & reverse to "Rock the vehicle out of the ruts."
2. Let Some Air Out of the Tires: Lowering tire pressure increases the amount of contact of the tire touching the ground, thus providing more traction. Beware, do not let out too much air as it could cause it to come off of the rim. Only release 10 to 15 PSI and use the "Rocking" method.
3. My Favorite Use of Kitty Litter, Gravel, or Sand for Traction: Spread the coarse, gritty litter, sand, or gravel in front of the rut the tires are in. I prefer the kitty litter because I get it at the Dollar General pretty inexpensively and it comes in a hard plastic container like milk jugs. You can also use campfire or fireplace ashes.
4. Floor Mats (or Carpet Scraps) Under the Tires: Put your car floor mats, textured side down and right in front of or behind the drive wheels to provide traction.
5. Shovel and Clear a Path: While this seems to be the most logical method that I have used in my lifetime, I feel as if it's been the biggest waste of time because I always had to also incorporate using one of the above-mentioned methods. So, to me, it's double the work. Nonetheless, yes I carry a small Boy Scout collapsible shovel in my truck's toolbox.

Using Physics to Your Advantage

The best thing to remember is everything I was taught in high school physics class. Like adding more weight to the bed of a pickup truck or SUV just over the tires allowing it to grip better. On front wheel drive vehicles moving cargo and passengers to the front seats temporarily to allow better heavier traction.

The Buddy Method

Here's a final backup plan the Buddy method is always good, that's when you're calling your buddy to come help pull you out. So, as another cold weather snowfall is predicted in the coming weeks just remember to allow more space from your front bumper to the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of you that way you won't have to slam on the brakes and slide off to the side of the road.

Final Thoughts on Safety and Preparation

Stay warm and stay safe, remember to be cautious around spinning tires, they can throw kitty litter and debris out at a high rate of speed. Preparation is key here, keep gear like a shovel, traction aids, and a portable air compressor in your vehicle. If you drive in snowy, muddy, or sandy areas always be prepared.