Clear the path, add traction material, and rock gently

Dig out packed snow and ice from around the drive wheels, place gritty material under them for grip, and use a gentle rocking technique to work the vehicle free.

Steps

1. Clear the snow and ice: Use a shovel or your hands to remove snow from in front of, behind, and underneath the drive wheels. For FWD, focus on the front wheels; for RWD, the rear; for AWD/4WD, all four.
2. Place traction material: Lay sand, non-clumping kitty litter, cardboard, or your car's rubber floor mats directly under the drive tires. Wedge mats firmly against the tire edge.
3. Straighten the wheels: Point the front wheels straight ahead to reduce resistance.
4. Rock the vehicle: Turn off traction control if your vehicle allows it. In the lowest forward gear, apply throttle very gently. If the wheels spin, release the gas, shift to reverse, and nudge backward. Repeat this forward-backward motion smoothly to build momentum.
5. Drive out steadily: Once you gain continuous movement, maintain gentle, steady acceleration in a low gear until you reach solid ground.

Tips

• Never spin the tires hard -- it digs them deeper and polishes the ice underneath
• Rock salt works but use sparingly as it corrodes metal and harms vegetation
• Keep a small bag of sand or kitty litter in your trunk during winter months