How to get a car stuck in the sand

With summer comes the desire to go for a walk or sunbathe on our country's wonderful beaches. Of course, the chances of getting bogged down in the sand aren't that slim, you just have to park on a verge or take a wrong turn. Find out how to get out of this situation without having to call the tow truck.

What you'll need to continue your journey are the car mats, some help to push, willpower and, if possible, a portable tire pressure pump.

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Digging out the sand

When you realize you're bogged down in sand, there's no point in insisting on accelerating, as this will have the opposite effect to what you want. As you accelerate, the wheels will continue to dig their hole and get deeper and deeper.

So stop what you've been doing so far and get out of the vehicle, it's time to dig a path for the wheels to pass through. Dig next to the tire and about two meters of path where the wheels will pass.

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Use the mats

Once the road is made, it's time to use the car mats to help the wheels gain grip. You can also use tree branches, however, the mats may be quicker and more practical. Place the narrowest part of the mat under the wheel and follow the path you dug out earlier.

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Lower tire pressure

We've always heard that you should maintain the correct tire pressure, and it's true, but this is an extreme and one-off case. By lowering the tire pressure slightly, you'll have more contact area with the ground and you'll also be able to lower the tire so that it rests on the carpet underneath. Be aware that you can't take too much pressure out of your tires if you don't have a portable pump or fuel pump nearby, as you can ruin your tires if you drive too long with insufficient pressure.

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Accelerate smoothly

Once you have completed the previous steps, you should accelerate gently to get out of the bog. Remember that if you stop while you're still on sand, you could get bogged down again, so maneuver smoothly and at a constant speed until you reach a more suitable surface.

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Help is welcome

All help is welcome and it will probably take some strength to push the car out of the sand. If you have other passengers, delegate this task to them; if not, don't be embarrassed to accept help from passers-by. It's often the case that strangers offer to help in these cases.

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Refilling the tires

Don't forget to re-inflate your tires; their longevity and fuel consumption depend a lot on this condition.

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Source: carro-carros.com

Translated with DeepL.com