Veteran actor Dick Van Dyke was a real trooper after suffering injuries from a scary car crash. The 97-year-old Emmy winner, who graced us with his performances in The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, was driving on the wet streets of Malibu when he lost control of his vehicle and slammed into a gate. Fortunately, this award-winning entertainer is doing well now and has updated fans on what led to his injuries.
The Mary Poppins Returns actor was very fortunate to emerge mostly unscathed from the car crash he endured earlier this month. According to TMZ, he received two stitches on his chin with the cause of his injuries being the airbags in his car failing to deploy and causing him to face-plant right into the steering wheel. Despite the busted chin, The Dick Van Dyke Show namesake was all smiles when the aforementioned news outlet caught up with him and asked about how he was doing:
Pretty good. I'm sore all over. The airbags did not deploy, so I just had a face plant right in the steering wheel. I had to have two stiches here [points at chin]. Other than that, it just made me a little dumber.
When the prolific actor accidentally crashed his silver Lexus into a gate while driving down the wet streets of Malibu, paramedics treated him at the scene. They found him behind the wheel with a bloody nose and mouth. Officers didn’t believe drugs or alcohol were involved, but they reportedly requested the Bye Bye Birdie actor retake his driving test with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. It's worth pointing out that at the time Dick Van Dyke was driving, road conditions had been affected by rain. (That's something he ironically requested back in December 2022 when California was going through a heavy drought, during which some celebrities went over their water allotment.)
Luck is truly on the beloved actor's side, as he was involved in a much more serious car accident a decade ago. He was driving on a California highway when he noticed smoke coming out of his Jaguar’s hood. This comedian was, thankfully, pulled out of his car by a stranger without suffering a scratch right before the vehicle burst into flames.
While many still likely remember him bringing people to tears with his cameo role in Mary Poppins Returns, the last time we saw Dick Van Dyke was on The Masked Singer. While he was the first to be sent home during Season 9's eliminations, Van Dyke still gave what was considered "the greatest reveal ever," and donned a gnome costume while singing his rendition of Billie Holiday's “When You’re Smiling.” Not only did he make history as the oldest person to compete on the show, but the entertainer received a lengthy standing ovation from the audience and judges.
It's wonderful to see that Dick Van Dyke is alive and in good spirits after his car accident. Let's hope that moving forward, he manages to stay safe whenever he's on the road. And if you'd like to watch his memorable performances in Mary Poppins and its sequel, you can do so using a Disney+ subscription.
