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In news you certainly don’t expect to hear when you tune in for a morning traffic report, one of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles shut down a Chicago highway after it crashed into another car and rolled over onto its side.
However, that is exactly what commuters on Interstate 294 near Roosevelt Road in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, Illinois had to deal with on Monday morning.
The Hotdogger (the actual job title of the person who drives a Wienermobile) was reportedly uninjured in the crash, according to Illinois State Police.
The Wienermobile, on the other hand, took a bit of a beating.
Illinois State Police report that the Wienermobile was traveling northbound on Interstate 294 road when it ran into a Hyundai that was also traveling north.
When the vehicles made contact, the Hotdogger lost control of the Wienermobile, “proceeded to overcorrect,” and the giant wiener flipped over on its side.
“We’re grateful that everybody involved is safe and there were no injuries,” a spokesperson for Oscar Mayer said in a statement. “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.”
The crash forced the closure of the northbound right lane of the highway for a little over an hour while emergency crews cleaned up the mess created by a 23-foot-long hot dog on wheels.
Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles have been traveling America’s roads since the first one was created by Oscar Mayer’s nephew, Carl G. Mayer, in 1936.
In 2023, after 87 years, the Wienermobiles were renamed Frankmobiles by Oscar Mayer, but that didn’t fly with the general public and after just four months the Wienermobile name was reinstated.