Dax Shepard Reveals Near-Death 85 MPH Car Accident

Dax Shepard is opening up about a terrifying moment from his teenage years, one that nearly cost him his life. The actor and podcast host revealed on a recent episode of "Armchair Expert" that he was involved in a serious car crash during his senior year of high school, when a late-night drive took a sudden and dangerous turn.

According to Shepard, he and a friend were driving from Toledo to Detroit in a Ford Probe. It was late, and Shepard had an early morning shift ahead of him, so he decided to stretch out and sleep in the backseat. Before nodding off, he double-checked that his friend was okay to drive. The answer was a confident yes, despite the cruise control being set to 85 miles per hour.

That confidence didn’t last long.

Shepard recalled being jolted awake by the sound of gravel hitting the side of the car. When he looked up, his friend was completely slumped over behind the wheel, fast asleep.

He tried to grab control, but it was already too late. The car veered to the side, launched into the air, and began rolling down the highway. Shepard said his mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario, the line of pine trees along the Michigan road. “I knew if we hit one of those, that was it,” he shared.

As the car continued to flip, Shepard experienced something unexpected. Instead of panic, he felt calm. After a rush of fear and realization that death felt moments away, a strange sense of peace took over. He described it as oddly comforting, saying it felt like his body just accepted what was about to happen.

The car rolled around ten times before finally coming to a stop, upside down. Against all odds, they never hit a tree. Both Shepard and his friend crawled out through the windows, shaken but alive. Somehow, neither of them was seriously hurt.

The experience stuck with Shepard long after the crash. He admitted he questioned for days afterward whether he had actually died and was still processing what had happened.

Even now, decades later, the memory hasn’t faded. Shepard says the moment was unforgettable, and it permanently changed how he travels. To this day, he refuses to fall asleep when someone else is behind the wheel.

That brush with death wasn’t the only moment that reshaped how Shepard views survival. Over the years, the actor has been just as open about his long struggle with addiction.

Shepard has never shied away from talking about his sobriety journey, even when it’s uncomfortable. In 2020, he revealed that after 16 years sober, he suffered a relapse, a setback he later addressed candidly on "In Fact." According to Shepard, the relapse began when chronic pain issues with his hand and shoulder resurfaced, leading him back to prescription pain medication.

What started as legitimate treatment slowly spiraled out of control. Shepard admitted he was taking far more pills than prescribed, buying additional medication, and lying to people closest to him, all while carrying what he described as an “enormous secret.”

Now a father of two, Shepard says honesty is non-negotiable at home. He’s shared that he talks openly with his daughters, Lincoln and Delta, about his addiction and recovery. He tells them he attends AA meetings twice a week for a reason.

“I’m an alcoholic,” Shepard explained. “And if I don’t go there, then I’ll drink, and then I’ll be a terrible dad.”

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, help is available, and you don’t have to face it alone. Support, treatment, and recovery resources exist, and reaching out can be the first step toward change. Call the SAMHSA National Helpline 24/7 at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).