Packed beaches, high tides: Why you shouldn’t drive in the sand for the Fourth of July

Thousands of people are heading out to the coast this week to celebrate the Fourth of July, and that means a lot of first-timers will be testing their driving skills in the sand.

Driving in the sand is a lot of fun. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. But let me be blunt—this weekend is probably not the best time to try it. The sand is going to be packed with people this weekend. The Long Beach Peninsula is expecting 100,000 people. Ocean Shores officials told me they can’t begin to estimate, but that the city is expecting a ton of people.

There will be no room to move and no room for error.

And if you don’t believe me, please take Paul’s advice. He volunteers with Long Beach Peninsula 4-by-4 Rescue.

“If you’ve never driven on the sand, the best thing is don’t make the Fourth of July weekend your first try,” he said.

The nonprofit rescue group volunteers its time getting people out of trouble.

“We’re just a bunch of people down here that realize that tourism is lifeblood to the peninsula, and so we were here to help as locals,” he said. “We don’t take any money. We just help people get out.”

Here are some really good tips for driving in the sand: Pick the line you want to take and go with it. Keep your speed up. Watch for deep ruts and don’t assume your truck or SUV will take care of you.

“All wheel drive versus four wheel drive, they are not the same,” Paul said. “If you have four-wheel drive or all wheel drive and you’re on the beach, disengage your traction control. That will get you stuck faster than anything.”

And don’t even try it with anything bigger than a car or truck.

“People with motor homes and vans and stuff just don’t try it,” Paul said.  “In the last two or three weeks, we’ve pulled several motor homes off, and Sprinter vans that are four-wheel drive, but they just, for whatever reason, don’t do well.”

This Fourth of July weekend will be particularly dangerous because of the tides.

High tides expected during Fourth of July evening

High tide will be between 9 and 10 p.m., just about the time you’ll be shooting off fireworks or watching the big displays. It’s a high tide, meaning the water will be coming in a little more. Park up a little higher on the soft sand to make sure your car doesn’t end up in the ocean.

“The tide is coming in, and your car, if you don’t think about it, is going to be all sudden in the water,” Paul said.

And I’ve seen this happen more times than I can count. People are distracted by the bonfire and the fireworks, and they don’t notice how far the water has crept up to them. And when the fireworks are over, everyone will try to leave the beach at the same time. You will be doing this in the dark. Dodging the ocean, unpredictable people and pets, raging bonfires, and debris piles. And drunk drivers.

This is the worst possible time to get stuck in the sand.

Should you find yourself in trouble, the best advice is to stay calm. Put on your flashers. And ask for help.

Be careful with just throwing a chain on your bumper and hooking it to another car. You’ll likely damage your vehicle. It’s best to carry a small shovel and a flat piece of wood in your car so you can try to dig yourself out.

You can call a tow, or if you’re in Long Beach, you can call 4-by-4 Rescue at 360-244-1099.

“We jump people. We’ll get them unstuck out of the sand, but if they’re in the surf, we won’t touch them. They’re going to have to go to a tow company to get out of that. We just can’t do that,” Paul said.

So have a great fourth, but be safe and smart.

And always point your car toward the ocean if you’re parking on the beach.

Chris Sullivan is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here. Follow KIRO Newsradio traffic on X.

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