Dick Van Dyke talks about his accident and shows his injuries
After the 97-year-old actor's car accident in Malibu, D i c k Van Dyke has come forward and showed the minor injuries he got from the crash.
According to TMZ, the actor stated, "The airbags did not deploy, so I just had a face plant right in the steering wheel and it just made me a little dumber."
Image: Video Coleman-Rayner / SplashNews, screenshot via TMZ.
However, in spite of his minor injuries, he still retained his good humor and said "I’m doing OK. I’m 97, all my friends are dead."
In the tranquil streets of Malibu, California, Mr. Van Dyke suffered a car accident in March 2023. The 'Mary Poppins' star is 97 years old.
The actor was driving his 2018 Lexus LS 500 when, according to TMZ, he lost control of the vehicle due to heavy rain and hit the door of a house.
When the police arrived, the actor was bleeding from his nose and mouth, TMZ reported. He was presumed to have suffered a concussion from the blow.
Rescue workers could not convince the actor to come with them to the hospital. He was treated at the scene of the accident.
After verifying that the injuries to the mouth and nose were minor, the health workers who took care of Van Dyke did "a driving retest" to evaluate whether he would be fit for driving.
The actor seemed to be alright, but his Lexus was severely damaged by the accident. Therefore, Van Dyke had to be taken to his home by an unidentified person.
The report by Malibu authorities suggests that the actor was practically unharmed in the accident. However, the question remains about how this accident could have happened in the first place.
Despite the fact that the accident happened on March 15, it did not reach the media until several days later. The circumstances of the crash appeared mysterious.
NBC News heard from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department that the weather was not the primary factor causing the accident. While the rain had made the road wet, Van Dyke appeared to have been driving at a speed that was not safe.
Because of the strange circumstances of the crash, Mr. Van Dyke was subjected to drink and substance tests on the spot. These turned out to be negative, NBC reported.
Given his age and the occurrence of the accident, the Police have requested that the actor undergo tests with the California Department of Motor Vehicles to verify whether he is still fit to drive cars.
Van Dyke is getting closer and closer to the magical age of 100. He will be 98 in December. It may be time for him to hire a chauffeur.
Just to realize how long he's been around, D i c k Van Dyke was already 39 years old when he starred in 'Mary Poppins.' And that was in 1964!
Despite his age, the actor looks active and independent when posting on social media. He promotes his new acting jobs and shows how he exercises daily.
In fact, one of his recurring phrases is "I have retired so many times, it has become a habit."
Considering Van Dyke's vitality, while also taking into account his bizarre crash with a house in Malibu, will he be likely to fail the DMV tests, and will he be able to continue driving?