What to do if your car is stuck in the mud: how to get out on your own

The off-season is not only a period of change and renewal in nature but also a time of deep mud on the roads. Melting snow, thawing weather, and rains mean that you can get stuck "up to the bumper" anywhere – off-road, in a parking lot, and even in your own yard.

It often happens that the driver has to get out of the mud on his own. OBOZREVATEL has collected the most effective tips for such force majeure situations.

What to do if your car gets stuck in the mud

Tip #1. Do not step on the gas. Don't waste time stalling in place. You can make the situation worse – the car will get stuck in the mud even deeper. So as soon as you realize that you are stuck, disengage the gear and go to assess the scale of the tragedy.

Tip #2. Put it in reverse. If you followed the first tip in time and the drive wheels have not yet buried themselves deep in the mud, consider yourself lucky. Back up 0.5-1 m.

Tip #3. It's time to push. If you can't back up, but the car is mired shallowly, call the passengers (if any) for help and start pushing the vehicle back. Experts advise not to miss the moment when slipping starts, otherwise the wheels may get stuck even more.

Tip #4. Acceleration. Determine whether it is possible to gain acceleration on the track. It's important that the mud section ahead is not too long or deep. You can try several times to drive forward, stop, back up, accelerate on the track, and then move sharply forward again.

Tip #5. Dig yourself out. If you see that the wheels are so stuck that the car is almost lying in the mud on the thresholds, pushing and pulling back will not help. You should start digging. Dig 0.5-1 meter tracks in front of all the wheels to gain acceleration.

Tip #5. Digging up failed. It's not always possible to dig tracks. In this case, it is advised to raise the drive wheels in the holes they have dug. This can be done with a jack and then put boards, branches, stones, etc. under the wheels. After that, drive as smoothly as possible.

Tip #6. Search for a tractor. If you can find a tow, don't waste time. Not only a tractor will do. It can also be an SUV or truck.

Important nuances

Experts also noted that at the first sign that the car is stuck, it is necessary to align the wheels. Slightly lowered (1.0 - 0.8 bar) wheels can help you get out of a jam faster on loose ground. This advice does not work when the car is already deeply buried in the mud.

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