Nina Dobrev Says She Has ‘A Long Road of Recovery Ahead’ Following Bike Accident

Actress Nina Dobrev attends Michael Kors Launch of Claiborne Swanson Frank's 'Young Hollywood' on October 2, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Actress Nina Dobrev has revealed that she was hospitalized for injuries she sustained during a bike accident.

“The Vampire Diaries” star took to Instagram on Monday to share two images of her that appear to be taken before and after going for a ride on an electric dirt bike. “How it started vs how it’s going,” she captioned the post.

In the first image, the 35-year-old can be seen sitting atop a stationary bike not wearing a helmet. The second image depicts the actress lying down in a hospital bed wearing a brace on her neck as well as one on her leg.

In a subsequent Instagram story, Ms. Dobrev wrote that she was okay following the harrowing incident. “But it’s going to be a long road of recovery ahead,” she shared.

“I think it’s safe to say my first time on a dirt bike will also be my last,” she quipped in a second story post.

Ms. Dobrev—who landed her breakthrough role in the aughts, portraying Mia Jones alongside rapper Drake in “Degrassi: The Next Generation”—has yet to release a statement detailing the full extent of her injuries. She also hasn’t explained exactly how the bike accident transpired.

On Monday, Ms. Dobrev’s boyfriend, former professional snowboarder and three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, shared a picture of the “The Out-Laws” actress in an Instagram story posted to his account. The image showed Ms. Dobrev seated inside what appears to be a private jet with her injured leg propped up on pillows, seemingly following her release from the hospital.

Outpouring of Support

Ms. Dobrev’s initial Instagram post about her accident elicited an outpouring of supportive messages from fellow actors and other members of the entertainment industry.

“New Girl” star Zooey Deschanel expressed well wishes for a speedy recovery, while actor Dylan Efron wrote that he was happy to hear she was okay. “You will bounce back before you know it, our bodies are so resilient,” he added.

Freediver and model Ocean Ramsey shared a similar sentiment, writing: “I’m so sorry you’re prob in so much pain!! At least you’re strong so I’m sure you'll heal fast.”

“Still managing to look gorge in a hospital bed,” commented “Cruel Intentions” actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.

“That’s my girl!” shared Ms. Dobrev’s close friend, dancer and actress Julianne Hough. “Obviously wouldn’t make jokes if you were not ok.”

Actor Charles Michael Davis, who starred in “The Originals,” also made light of the situation. “But how does the bike ride,” he asked. “Would you recommend it?”

Bicycle Accidents

Electric bikes, also known as e-bikes, are motorized bikes that feature motors and batteries to assist with pedaling. E-bikes have grown in popularity in recent years. According to the Department of Energy, over 250,000 were sold in the United States in 2019. Since then, sales of e-bikes have steadily increased, rising to 1.1 million sold in 2022.

Similarly, electric bike accidents have also been on the rise, per a study published in February in JAMA Surgery. Researchers examined injuries and hospitalizations that occurred in the United States between 2017 and 2022. They found that roughly 45,586 e-bike injuries were sustained during this period—751 of which occurred in 2017, with 23,493 taking place in 2022. The bike accidents resulted in 66 and 2,897 hospitalizations, respectively.

Researchers discovered that only 44 percent of the e-bike riders injured wore helmets, with helmet use decreasing by nearly six percent over the course of the six years studied. According to the study, the odds of an electric bicycle rider suffering a head injury while not wearing a helmet were 1.9 times higher than those who did wear them.

“This study corroborates prior findings that soft tissue injuries and fractures predominate among adult e-bicyclists,” the study’s authors wrote. “However, the increasing proportion of head injuries in our study warrants further examination, as traumatic brain injuries are more severe in e-bicyclists than in traditional bicyclists.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of bicyclist fatalities stemming from traffic crashes has been steadily increasing since 2010. From 2010 to 2017, an average of 800 bicyclists were killed each year, up to 883 per year from 2017 to 2021.

In 2021 alone, bicyclists accounted for approximately 2.2 percent of all traffic deaths. That same year, roughly 41,615 bicyclists were injured, with about 45,400 bicyclists injured each year from 2017 to 2021.