This has been a rainy summer. Like, it feels almost unusually rainy. On several occasions I found myself driving down a back road wondering what could have possibly possessed me to think that this was going to be a good life choice. PRAYING that my tires made it out of this game of driving Russian roulette. Inevitably I would JUST BARELY make it out of there, say to myself, “Man, I’m never going to do that again” then immediately forget and 100% do it again a few days later.

Because I clearly like to test fate, I’ve decided that it would be a good idea to learn how to get out of a muddy situation, should my car actually become stuck. As of now, the odds of getting stuck on some back road are looking pretty good. To make things more interesting, my friends and I go camping up at Lake George periodically, and I promise you, this is where I will meet my end. My car has been too lucky in the camping grounds so far, and I can feel my luck running out. It’s time to get a plan together.

As far as I can tell there are a few options to get yourself “unstuck”. Below you will find the basic steps you should take in the event you find that you are stuck in the mud, or in the winter months, snow.

Step 1: Stay calm. I know the sense of panic that can take you over when you feel like your car is stuck. You may be tempted to floor it in an attempt to get out of there. Unfortunately, this only makes matters worse. It’s better to keep your cool and come to a complete stop before making any hasty decision.

Step 3: Politely ask your passengers to get out and ensure they are a safe distance from the vehicle. As it turns out frantically asking passengers to get out of the car really only creates chaos. With the weight of the car now reduced it should reduce the chance of the vehicle sinking further into the mud.

Step 4: Avoid wheel spin. Your car has a better chance of moving if the tires have some room to maneuver so turn the wheel to the left and right to create a little space.

Step 5: Push gently on the accelerator and move as slowly as possible, using the weight of the vehicle to get some traction. I am talking about an actual snail’s pace friends. For automatics, put the car into its lowest gear; for manuals, use the highest possible gear (2nd or possibly 3rd) and gently release the clutch.

If that didn’t get your car out of the mud then it’s time to move on to plan B! Attach a board to your tires. Now, I can imagine the horrified looks on your faces as I tell you this, but really it works! Things to keep in your car so that you can perform this magic trick: 2 pieces of wood, sticks, something that can be attached to the tires that are relatively small, but thick enough to create some traction, and some rope or ties that can be used to attach the board to your tires. Attach the pieces of wood to the tires so that the wood will be across the tire when the wheel rotates. Make sure you attach the piece of wood very well. It will need to be tight for it to work. Once attached you can SLOWLY accelerate and the board should allow you to move forward, albeit slowly, but you’ll be moving.

Finally: Check the car. Once you have escaped by whichever means was necessary, it’s best to check out your car to make sure that it hasn’t sustained any damage. You never know. So if you want your vehicle more thoroughly checked out, stop by Destination Nissan and they will be happy to make sure your car is working in tip top shape! Stay safe out there!