Minnie Driver is ‘grateful to be alive’ after ‘really bad,’ near-fatal car crash

Actress Minnie Driver has shared that she is recovering in London after surviving a severe car crash on a rural French road alongside her friend Ben Homewood. In a video posted to her Instagram account on Thursday, August 6, 2026, the 56-year-old star appeared wearing a neck brace and explained that the collision occurred when another vehicle failed to stop at an intersection while traveling at a high speed, causing Driver's car to T-bone it. Driver noted that neither she nor Homewood were at fault for the accident, which left them crawling out of the wreckage.

Reflecting on the terrifying ordeal, the Oscar nominee emphasized that the incident left her grappling with acute emotional shock. She mentioned that she finds herself crying frequently as her brain continually replays the violent impact, a psychological process she acknowledged as difficult but necessary. Beyond the physical strain of a sprained neck, Driver expressed deep appreciation for a passing van driver who pulled over to render aid before emergency medical services arrived, while sharply contrasting that kindness with another motorist who slowed down to observe the wreckage scene before driving away without offering assistance.

Driver directed substantial praise toward the engineering of the vehicle they were traveling in, a Kia EV2, explicitly crediting its structural integrity and 360-degree airbag deployment for preventing a catastrophic outcome. Having never been involved in a motor vehicle collision prior to this event, Driver expressed astonishment that the cabin did not concertina upon impact, joking on her Instagram stories that she might change her surname to Kia Driver despite not being the person behind the wheel at the exact moment of the crash. Celebrity friends including Naomi Watts and Chelsea Handler quickly flooded the post with expressions of relief and support.

The accident has already triggered practical professional consequences, prompting the production team behind Emily in Paris to adjust their shooting schedule to accommodate Driver's recovery. As she heals in London surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues, Driver continues to process the duality of human behavior witnessed on that French country road, balancing the lingering trauma of the near-fatal impact with an overwhelming sense of fortune that she and her companion walked—or rather crawled—away with their lives.