Why Do People Put Rubber Ducks on the Dashboard of Jeeps?

If you’ve ever been driving behind a Jeep and spotted a little rubber duck perched proudly on the dashboard, you aren’t imagining things! Jeep owners across the world have been quietly “ducking” each other for years. And it turns out that it’s actually one of the most wholesome automotive trends to come out of the internet age.

The Birth of “Duck, Duck, Jeep”

The story begins in the summer of 2020 with a woman named Allison Parliament, a Canadian who was road-tripping from the U.S. back home to Ontario. After an unsettling encounter at a rest stop, she decided to do something small but kind: she bought a rubber duck from a nearby store, wrote “Nice Jeep!” on it, and placed it on a Jeep in the parking lot.

That simple gesture sparked a movement. She snapped a photo, shared it online with the hashtag #DuckDuckJeep, and within days, Jeep owners everywhere were joining in. 

For many Jeep owners, one duck isn’t enough. After being “ducked” a few times, some drivers start building what’s known as a “duck pond,” a collection of rubber ducks displayed across the dashboard.

And Jeep has fully embraced the trend. At the 2022 North American International Auto Show, they even unveiled the world’s largest rubber duck: a 61-foot, 8,000-pound inflatable tribute to the community tradition. (Yes, it travels. The big duck has toured over two dozen locations.)

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Why Jeeps, Though?

Good question. Jeep culture has always been about camaraderie and adventure. From the famous “Jeep Wave” to off-roading meetups called Jamborees, the brand’s community spirit runs deep. Ducking just adds another layer of fun to it!

Plus, Jeeps come with hidden Easter eggs (tiny engraved spiders, grilles, or Bigfoot silhouettes) tucked into the design. The brand already celebrates playful details, so it makes sense that a spontaneous act of joy caught on so quickly.

The Trend Carries on

Five years later, Jeep ducking is still thriving. There are Facebook groups with thousands of members, duck-tracking hashtags, and Jeep owners who’ve turned their dashboards into rainbow-colored duck museums.

And while some copycats have popped up (“Buck Buck Bronco,” anyone?), nothing quite matches the original. At its core, ducking is about community, kindness, and the thrill of finding a little surprise waiting for you after a grocery run.