For nearly 100 years, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile has been synonymous with the food brand and its sausage links sold in stores across the country. It's not impervious to bad drivers, however, and on July 22, the iconic vehicle was involved in a unique car accident.
According to The Chicago Sun Times, state troopers were called to the Tri-State Tollway near the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook around 11:15 a.m. to investigate the incident. The Wienermobile and another vehicle were both traveling north on the highway when the Wienermobile hit the other car, lost control, and rolled over onto the side of the road. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
Photos from the scene showed just what the Wienermobile looked like flipped on its side. In a video from the crash, the Wienermobile's drivers—referred to as Hotdoggers by the company—are seen climbing out of the passenger door.
Weinermobile had a little accident. #oscarmayer pic.twitter.com/GhTnMejfS2
— CHICAGO CRITTER (@ChicagoCritter) July 22, 2024
Bonus footage of occupants exiting the mini Wienermobile for your viewing pleasure. pic.twitter.com/AOJJC01g1p
— CHICAGO CRITTER (@ChicagoCritter) July 23, 2024
After causing a partial shutdown of the highway, the Wienermobile was eventually righted using a crane and taken away on a tow truck. This model, which has been used by the company since 2008, is built on a Mini Cooper, so a hot dog exterior built on top might not be the most compatible with gravity.
Oscar Mayer confirmed the drivers were okay in a statement regarding the incident.
"We’re grateful that everybody involved is safe and there were no injuries," a spokesperson told The Chicago Sun Times. "We’re offering ongoing support for our Hotdoggers and we appreciate the support we’ve received from local authorities. Safety on the road is top priority for us."
