What to do if you are trapped in your car by snow or water
Two opposite situations with opposite rules: in snow you wait inside, in water you get out immediately. How to handle each one.
Snow and water look like similar situations — the vehicle stopped, the environment against you — and they demand exactly opposite responses. Confusing them is what turns a setback into an emergency.
Trapped in snow: stay
The vehicle is shelter and, above all, far easier to find than a person. Walking off into a snowstorm is the decision that most often ends badly.
- Make yourself visible. Something brightly coloured on the antenna, the interior light on at night.
- Clear the exhaust pipe before starting the engine, and check it again every time.
- Engine intermittently: around ten minutes per hour is enough to keep a reasonable temperature without burning through fuel.
- Crack a window on the side away from the wind while the engine runs.
- Move. Working your arms and legs generates heat without burning fuel.
- Ration. Water, food and phone battery.
Trapped in water: get out
Here the rule inverts completely. Water rises faster than it looks and a vehicle begins to float in about twelve inches of current.
- Get out immediately if the water is still shallow and the car is not moving.
- Unbuckle and lower the window at once: water pressure jams the doors.
- If the window will not lower, break a side window at a corner with the tool. The windshield is laminated and will not give.
- Go out through the window and move toward higher ground, not toward the vehicle.
- If it is already sinking, climb onto the roof and signal for help.
| Snow | Water | |
|---|---|---|
| Main rule | Stay inside | Get out immediately |
| The vehicle is | Shelter and beacon | A trap |
| Main risk | Carbon monoxide and hypothermia | Flotation and being swept away |
| Way out | The door, when it is safe | A side window |
- What to do if your car breaks down on the road Where to stop, whether to stay inside or get out, how to be seen, and why walking for help is usually the worst decision.
- What to always keep in your car emergency kit A kit that fits in one box and covers everything from a night-time breakdown to being stuck in snow. What stays all year and what changes by season.
Gear that covers this
Products that match what the guide above recommends.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This does not change the price you pay or the recommendations we make.
- View on Amazon
Window breaker with belt cutter
In a flood the way out is the window, and water pressure jams the doors. Within the driver's reach, always.
- View on Amazon
Sleeping bag for the vehicle
Retains far more heat than several blankets and takes little space. In a night stuck in snow it is the real difference.
- View on Amazon
Folding shovel and traction mats
A small shovel and a bag of sand let you clear the exhaust and regain traction to get out on your own.
Frequently asked questions
What do I do if I get stuck in snow in my car?
Stay inside, make yourself visible, run the engine only intermittently and only after checking the exhaust is clear, move around to generate heat, and ration battery and food.
And if water surrounds the vehicle?
The opposite: get out immediately while the water is still shallow and move to higher ground. A vehicle starts to float in about twelve inches of moving water.
How do I get out if water pressure jams the doors?
Through the window. Lower it as soon as you notice water rising, and if the mechanism has failed, break a side window at a corner with a breaker tool. The windshield will not break.
How long can I run the engine in snow?
Around ten minutes per hour, always after confirming the exhaust pipe is clear of snow. If it is blocked, carbon monoxide enters the cabin.