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If you happen to live in an especially cold climate, winter driving conditions are an inevitable fact of life you can count on for a good six months out of the year. Even for those who live in the warmer, less-harsh regions, snow and/or ice can sneak up on drivers with little or no warning. Therefore, the best line of defense at one's disposal is to be prepared for the unexpected. Getting stuck in snow or ice is no fun; particularly if it happens in an unpopulated area at 3:00 AM!

The drivetrain on the vehicle itself will determine the likelihood of getting stuck in the event you drive into a pile of snow or onto a patch of ice. If you go back about 30 years or so, practically every car on the road was built with rear-wheel drive. Today, only a few vehicles still have this rather antiquated feature; such as certain sports cars, large sedans, and a few trucks. A handful of die-hard enthusiasts still prefer rear-wheel driven cars for their road-handling performance, but when it comes to getting stuck in snow or ice, such vehicles are the absolute worst, and can prove to be very difficult to get out. Most cars today have front-wheel drive and are far easier to negotiate their way on snow and ice-covered roads. In addition, when front-wheel drive vehicles become stuck, it is much easier to escape the situation by rocking back and forth between drive and reverse. Incidentally, cars or trucks equipped with manual transmissions make this task even more effortless due to the lower gear ratios. And finally; provided you're not buried at a 45-degree angle in some ditch while immersed in six feet of snow, a 4-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle is next to impossible to get stuck. Basically, the message here is to avoid driving any car with rear-wheel drive in the winter.

As already stated, it is prudent to be prepared for anything. If you learn that a blizzard is on its way and 12 inches of snow will accumulate, stay home! But if circumstances are such that driving is unavoidable, here are some other ways to prepare yourself. In addition to passing on any car that has rear-wheel drive, bring a cell phone. In the worst-case scenario, you can call for help. Punch in 911, and a police dispatcher will send a tow truck. Make sure that your gas tank is full before driving any appreciable distance. In the event you have to wait for a towing service, heat is a nice thing to have. Hypothermia? Well, that's not a nice thing to have.

Most people successfully become unstuck by patiently alternating between forward and reverse; thereby rocking the vehicle back and forth; as mentioned earlier. Nevertheless, this is not 100% effective. Pack a small snow shovel to dig yourself out if necessary. Bring along some sheets of cardboard. By placing them as far underneath the wheels as possible, you can create a surface that has traction.

Obviously, if you have one or more passengers or if you get stuck in a heavily populated area during daylight hours, chances are that either one of the riders or a compassionate stranger will push you out. But if you are alone and furthermore in a remote setting, these tips should prove to be helpful. Driving in winter conditions is challenging. Above all else, the key to overcoming these potential obstacles is to use common sense.

Learn more about this author, Patrick Sills.
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