Stuck In The Snow And Ice? Remember These Helpful Tools Through The Winter

No matter how good of a driver you may be or how capable your vehicle is of handling rough terrain, there is bound to be a time when you find yourself stuck in the ice and snow, spinning your wheels, and unable to get enough traction to actually move. Some drivers will just give up and forget trying to get anywhere until the ground thaws and dries out, but if you are like most, you don't have time to wait and need to get your vehicle unstuck so you can go about your day. As a driver, it is helpful if you keep these handy items on hand, in your trunk, or in your garage for just this kind of situation. 

A flattened piece of cardboard. - This handy tool takes up no space in your trunk and can be whipped out and put to good use if your car is stuck in the snow in the winter. Not only can you use the cardboard to kneel on while you dig your wheels out of the snow, you can also shimmy the cardboard up under your wheels to go give you a slightly stable surface to drive up onto. In some cases, just getting one wheel out of a rut can be enough to get your car moving again. 

A collapsible shovel. - You may not want to take up a lot of trunk space by keeping a full-sized snow shovel or regular shovel in your car, but there are collapsible versions designed with drivers in mind. These shovels actually have a handle that collapses so you can fold the shovel up and place it in a small spot. In the ice and snow, a shovel will be your most useful tool hands down. You can use it to dig your tires out to get better visibility or you can use a shovel to scoop dry gravel into a rut if your tire has dug down into the soft ground. 

A bag of kitty litter. - You can pick up kitty litter really cheap and having a small bag in your car in the winter can prove to be a lifesaver. The cheapest versions are the best because these are essentially bags of finely ground gravel and usually, the more expensive versions are lighter in weight and won't offer much traction in the ice and snow. If you get stuck and unable to move your vehicle, simply pour the kitty litter around your stuck tires, pushing what you can beneath the tire itself. 

Winter tires are also a great investment, so make sure to visit a local shop before the season gets underway.