Reese Witherspoon hit by car whilst jogging.

Reese Witherspoon was hit by a car last week and taken to hospital with minor injuries.

For the first time after the accident, Reese Witherspoon showed the extent of her injuries – a black eye and bandage on her forehead – as she arrived for a friend’s birthday party in Los Angeles.

Reese Witherspoon also appeared to have a bruise on one of her knees from the fall which happened last Wednesday when an elderly woman knocked her down as she jogged over a pedestrian crossing.

Reese Witherspoon has a black eye after she was hit by a car last week

Her injuries didn’t appear to be troubling the famous actress too much. Wearing a smart blue dress, Reese Witherspoon shared a joke with her friend before going into the party.

It is the first time Reese Witherspoon, 36, has appeared with her injuries visible in public.

The star was spotted wearing sunglasses with husband Jim Toth, just two days after the accident.

However, Reese was quickly discharged and spent some time “resting at home”, according to her representative.

“The whole incident really frightened her,” a source close to the actress said.

“Now she’s just resting up.

“The odd thing about all of this is that Reese has always been very afraid of being hit by a car.

“It’s been an ongoing fear of hers. She is always the first person to pull people away from the edge of the curb.”

It has emerged that Reese Witherspoon will not be pressing charges against the woman who hit her after failing to yield to the actress on the crossing on the 20th street and Georgina Avenue Area in Santa Monica.

The car was travelling at around 20 mph (30 km/h) when it hit Reese Witherspoon and the 84-year-old driver was cited for failure to stop for a pedestrian.

Reese Witherspoon also appeared to have a bruise on one of her knees

According to TMZ, the elderly woman feels “awful” about the accident.

However, TMZ reports she is of the impression that the Santa Monica corner where the incident happened is dangerous, due to a large tree blocking a sight line for drivers.

The old woman was very “shaken up” by the accident and had no idea she had hit a famous Oscar winner.

Having received a citation to retake her driving test after the incident, the woman is planning to do so as early as today, having stayed off the road since the accident.