Minnie Driver is counting her blessings after surviving what she described as a terrifying car accident while traveling in France.
The “Good Will Hunting” actress, 56, shared the emotional update with fans in an Instagram video on Thursday, Aug. 6, revealing that she and her friend, Ben Homewood, narrowly escaped a crash that she believes could have been fatal.
“Paris update is that I’m actually back in London,” Driver began. “I got into a really bad car accident a few days ago with my friend Ben and we somehow walked out of it. Well we didn’t walk out of it. We crawled out of it. But we did get out of it alive.”
Driver Said She Is Ok
Driver made it clear the collision was not caused by them.
“To be very clear, it was not our fault,” she continued. “We were driving on a country road in the middle of France and a car didn’t stop at an intersection and was going at speed and we just T-boned it. I’m fine. I’ve got a sprained neck.”
Although she escaped with relatively minor physical injuries, Driver admitted the emotional aftermath has been much more difficult.
“I’m really in a sort of shock,” she said, “and cry all the time but I’m gonna heal and the reason that I’m not dead honestly is the car that we were driving.”
In the caption accompanying her post, the actress reflected further on the trauma she has experienced since the crash.
“My brain keeps replaying the crash which is very hard but seems to be a necessary part of processing,” she wrote. “Weeping too, feels good and helpful.”
Driver also took time to praise the vehicle she believes saved both her and Homewood’s lives.
“We were in this little tiny Kia,” she explained. “I’ve never been in a crash before but the kind of 360 degree airbags are what saved our lives. The fact that the entire car didn’t just crush us is down to the design of that car which is frankly astonishing.”
While acknowledging that it might sound like a commercial, Driver said she simply wanted to recognize the vehicle’s safety features.
“I’m Minnie Driver, pun intended,” she joked. “I need to celebrate the car that saved us because we’ve got families and people who love us and I’m so grateful to be alive. So, Kia, you are a baller car company. You’re amazing. And thanks very much from me and my mate Ben Homewood and my family and the people who love me.”
Fans React to the Scary Incident
Fans quickly filled the comments section with messages of relief and support after hearing about the frightening ordeal.
“Thanking every Kia I see from now on for keeping you and your mate alive!! Swift recovery, my dear Min…. love you!!” one person wrote.
Another commented, “Speedy Recovery.”
“How frightening, Minnie! Thank goodness all of you walked away,” another fan added.
Others echoed similar sentiments, with one writing, “Oh no!!!!! I’m so so sorry! Sending all healing vibes to you and wishing you a safe and speedy recovery!!”
Another shared, “I’m so sorry you had to go through this Minnie and you both survived. Thank goodness you were driving a Kia and you had angels protecting you.”
Driver, who has been in a relationship with filmmaker Addison O’Dea since 2019, said she is focused on healing both physically and emotionally after the life-changing experience.
