If you are driving your car through the desert, or sand you didn't realize was wet, you might find yourself stuck in it. It is important that you not try to accelerate right away. Here are some tips for getting yourself out.

Figure Out a Way to Create Traction

One of the most effective ways of getting your vehicle out of the sand without being pulled out is to create traction. If you just try to accelerate without something underneath the tires, your tires are only going to spin and dig deeper into the sand. You need something for your tires to drive over without going deeper into the sand or mud. Items that make good traction over sand include cardboard that is laid flat under the tires or the floor mats in your car. Put these items on the ground under your tires as close as you can, then slowly accelerate to see if you can get the tires to run over the items and keep driving. Many people like to widen the tires a little by letting some of the air out, but this isn't always necessary.

Remove the Excess Sand

If the traction didn't work, you might want to try a little physical labour. This involves grabbing a shovel and digging the sand around from your tires. If you can get enough of it removed, you might be able to pull out of the sand without getting deeper into it. When you don't have a shovel on hand, using your hands may work, though it does take quite a bit of time using this method. If the sand is too loose, this might not be the best solution since more sand will just keep falling in the area you are trying to remove it from. However, if it is wet sand, such in a coastal area, this might work.

Call a Tow Truck

If these methods didn't work, there might not be much you can do but ask for help. The only other option is to try the rocking back and forth method of using the gas and brake, alternating between them as you gently move your car out of the sand. However, this also works best with wet sand and mud, and doesn't always work with dry, loose sand. If you can't find someone who has a truck to pull you out, it is time to call a car tow truck driver.

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