If you feel the vehicle digging in or getting stuck while moving, turn the wheel left and right repetitively to allow the tires to grip fresh terrain and gain better traction. It’s often the first place that you go to see if you actually like four-wheel driving. Getting your car stuck in sand or mud is inconvenient and frustrating. Put your car in reverse. You can call a friend to pull you out using a tow strap or a chain. (Budget Direct Roadside Assistance can help you only if you get stranded on a sealed road that is trafficable by a standard two-wheel-drive recovery vehicle. If the pressure is too low then you will spread the weight of the vehicle, therefore, not getting maximum traction. If you begin to skid, slowly turn your steering wheel in the same direction of the skid to regain control. Drive through enough of it, and you’re probably going to get stuck. This content, How to Drive on Sand Without Getting Stuck, was developed by and owned by Paul Sinkinson, Xplorability owner. With the weight of the car now reduced it should lessen the chances of you sinking further into the mud. This will only cause you to lose control faster. Part 1 of 1: How to safely navigate your car through mud. Rain and bad weather can turn roads, fields and temporary car parks into swamps. Before you do anything, stop the car, have your passengers get out and stand a safe distance from the vehicle. Be aware that all-wheel drive vehicles will not have the 2H option, as they use all four tires all the time. Use a stick to check the depth if driving over the area isn’t possible. Why? Excess mud can run off the driveway and ooze onto your lawn and landscaping, and your car can get stuck in the driveway because the mud eliminates the traction. Speeding through mud can cause you to lose control. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. No matter, if it appears to be safe to drive through the ruts, it is not always a good option to choose while driving through mud. Simon has over 8 years of driving instruction experience. Don't slam on the brakes. You run the chance of encountering patches of thick mud, especially in the days and weeks following rain. Lastly, check the entire route. There will be puddles, ruts and thick, gloopy mud. Fortunately, there are several ways to get your vehicle unstuck efficiently and safely. He confirmed my suspicion and said that a lot of folks have been getting stuck on that road, and that he didn’t have a tow-rope long enough to reach us from the county road, and he didn’t want to risk getting stuck in the mud of the side road, even if we were only 300′ up. It’s a tricky balancing act. If your tyres are underinflated, the weight of the vehicle will be spread. Green Flag Limited, registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds, LS1 4AZ. Alternatively, put some wood or stones ahead of the driven wheels (usually at the front of the car). For example, some schools will show drivers how to correctly attach tow straps and how to safely use other recovery strategies. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. It stands to reason the ground should be more solid because you’ve already been over it without getting stuck. If you’re not going anywhere forwards, try going backwards. If you suddenly find yourself stuck it can be very tempting to push your foot down hard in an attempt free your car quickly before it sinks any further. Try to use your 4WD every two months or so, even it if’s just on slightly wet roads. Close Learn more. You need to create enough momentum that you don’t get stuck without going so fast that you slide out of control. To do this you have to have your tyres at the correct pressure. If you don’t have a winch, a come-along or a heavy-duty jack can be used to pull the vehicle free provided there is a tree or other solid object close enough to attach a recovery strap around. You can even use your car’s mats if you’re desperate and don’t mind trashing them. How to Drive Through Mud. Last Updated: June 25, 2020 Their weight and the tread of their tyres will have broken down the composition of the soil and turned it into mud. Use a stick to determine how deep the mud is. Try to find the right balance and move your steering wheel slightly from right to left to gain more traction. If you know that you will face treacherous driving conditions, make sure to keep your cell phone charged. Leave plenty of space between you and the other cars and just drive with the flow of traffic. It’s interesting to think that most people lose their off-road virginity on sand. Rather than just a field with greasy grass, when I say mud I’m thinking more along the lines of muddy tracks here. Here are my tips for driving in mud. Some areas of the country seem plagued with muddy roads, but a driver can get caught unawares almost anywhere, and end up stuck in a sticky mess. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Drive-in-the-Mud-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Drive-in-the-Mud-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Drive-in-the-Mud-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid771714-v4-728px-Drive-in-the-Mud-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"