The mini Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was involved in a scary car crash on July 22.
While in the Chicago Area in Cook County, Illinois, the hot dog-shaped vehicle rolled over on the highway around 11 a.m., the Illinois State Police tells PEOPLE in a statement. The Wienermobile was traveling north when it struck a Hyundai sedan. After the hit, the Wienermobile lost control and rolled onto its side, per the authorities.
According to the police, there were no injuries reported at the time of the crash. The right lane of Northbound I-294 was closed for a little over an hour before reopening.
Oscar Mayer released a statement on the incident to PEOPLE.
“We’re grateful that everybody involved is safe and there were no injuries,” the statement read. “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 mini Wienermobile is about half the size of the regular — it measures 15 feet long, 8 feet high and weighs 3,600 lbs. The standard one is 27 feet long and 11 feet high — or 60 hot dogs long -
and 24 hot dogs high, per Oscar Mayer. The Wienermobiles have been on the road since 1936.
At the beginning of 2024, the Kraft Heinz brand announced that they were hiring Wienermobile drivers — known as Hotdoggers — to travel around the country for a $35,600 salary.
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As of January, the latest cohort of Hotdoggers were tasked with driving the yellow and orange vehicles, as well as handing out Wiener Whistles to meat lovers across the country. They also create social content for the company.
Previous classes of Hotdoggers have also visited Puerto Rico, married 12 couples in Las Vegas and helped introduce the first-ever hot dog-flavored popsicle, per the brand.
Hotdoggers travel an average of 20,000 miles each year, visit at least 40 cities and represent Oscar Mayer at more than 1,200 events, the company said in a statement earlier this year.
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