Sometimes it’s simply necessary to drive on other types of surfaces besides a perfectly paved highway or road. And we wouldn’t ever want to change that! It’s one of the adventures of driving, and great pleasures that these amazing transportation devices allow us to experience. However, this pleasure can quickly turn to agony and stress when your vehicle gets stuck in surfaces like snow, sand, dirt, or mud – especially if it’s in the middle of nowhere. Here’s a guide to how to avoid getting your car stuck in these substances, as prepared by the towing experts at Towing Chicago.
Physically Eyeball the Path
If you don’t know what the road ahead contains, try walking out of your car if it’s safe, and visually inspecting the path for any hazards that you may want to avoid.
Slight Protective Tire Deflation
If you know you’ll be driving on dirt, sand, snow, or mud, slightly deflate your tires so that the tires have as much contact with the road surface as possible – meaning, higher levels of traction. Just be aware that if you slightly deflate your tires, your car will be lower to the ground, so it’s clearance will be diminished. Be aware of potholes, and drive slowly and carefully – and ABSOLUTELY make sure to inflate your tires once you’re back on a normal driving surface to avoid damaging them.
Straight Shot Driving
Make sure to drive in as much of straight line as you can to avoid getting snagged or stuck.
Steady Driving
Make sure to drive at a slow – but STEADY rate (you can do so by switching to higher gears) but if the wheel starts spinning, throttle it back slightly to help you reestablish ideal traction.
Never Brake Hard (Unless Needed)
If you’re driving in dirt, snow, mud (and especially sand,) make sure to avoid braking unless you really have to, because in doing so you will dig a slight rut in the ground that your vehicle may be stuck in. If you want to stop, and don’t NEED to suddenly, slow down your car and eventually it will stop. NEVER drive angularly when you’re on sand dunes – just go in straight lines.
Be aware of Holes
Make sure to avoid driving in ruts or potholes if you can especially in mud and dirt – as your car’s tires will likely move in the direction of the ground depression and get you stuck. Be aware of what direction your car’s wheels are pointing in when driving. If you enter an area like this, steadily reestablish your traction while your wheels are pointing in the direction of the ground depression.