5 ways to master the dreaded snow bank

One of the very first times I drove into a snow bank, I was by myself in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. It was not good. It was too cold to walk anywhere and I didn't have the kind of emergency survival equipment that one might need to stay alive in a situation like this. It was a "dig out or else" situation… and not something I ever want to repeat. (And since I'm writing this, you can probably figure out that I survived).

I did some pretty crazy things to get out of that snow bank (including leaving the car in drive while I ran out behind it to push (NOT ADVISABLE). Fortunately, that stupid solution didn't work. I was stuck solidly. I didn't get out until someone else happened to be driving down the same remote road some time later that night. We used a snow shovel, some car mats, an old coat, and a heck of a lot of muscle-power to unstick my car.

Since then, I don't travel without a few things in my car that will solve the problem. Depending on where I'm going and how bad the weather is supposed to be, I travel with some combination of the following items, and you should consider including some of these things in your car, too:

1. Snow shovel. I like using a plastic shovel that is lightweight and doesn't take up a lot of room in the trunk. It does the job in a pinch and doesn't cost a lot. (Also, the plastic ones won't puncture the rubber if you're digging around your tire).
2. Cat litter or salt. This is good to get traction on ice… especially if you've spun your tires a lot and turned the snow into ice!
3. Towel. I was surprised at how well this worked: It was enough traction to get out of snow.
4. Wooden boards. I've used these with some success in the past. They're good for those occasions when you are on some deep snow and have a little bit of distance to traverse before you get out. Just be careful that you don't stand directly behind them when driving because they can shoot out from under the car!
5. Tow rope. Tow ropes are great if you have another vehicle to help you get out.

Once your car is out of the snow, walk around it to make sure that there isn't a big build-up of snow around the tires or in the exhaust pipe or engine compartment. Snow in these areas can degrade the operation of your vehicle and can even be very unsafe to drive!

Also, walk around your car and check for damage. The snow, ice, or something hidden by the snow can damage your car. Check under your car, the body of your car, and keep an eye on your wheel alignment.

If your car's body is damaged, bring it to Boyd Autobody & Glass right away. We'll restore it quickly and professionally to help keep rust out of the damaged area and to return the car to its safest condition.