Video: Watch pedestrians avoid death by centimetres in Russian traffic accident

The pair appear to be saved by a traffic pole that diverted the skidding van away from the two

The out of control van missed the two pedestrians by a matter of centimetres (Youtube)

Dramatic footage has been released that shows two pedestrians narrowly escape serious injury when an out of control van veers off the road and crashes just metres behind them.

The images which were captured by the dashcam of a nearby driver, shows the van flip and smash into the curb after colliding with a black SUV at a busy four-way intersection in Russia’s second city St Petersburg.

In the footage taken on 11 November, the out of control car falls onto its side, when it attempts to swerve out of the way of the oncoming SUV.

Unable to stop, it skids for a number of metres, smashing into the front of a nearby building and narrowly missing two pedestrians by a matter of centimetres.

Video: Watch the crash below

The footage captures one of the pedestrians dodging out of the way of the van in a move that may well have saved his life.

The other pedestrian avoids being crushed by a traffic pole that diverts the skidding van away from her.

The van is then left lying on its side as the shocked pedestrians take stock of what has just happened.

In a video taken later by another driver, we can see police, an ambulance and fire crews surrounding the two heavily damaged vehicles.

Video: The aftermath of the crash

According to reports, the two drivers were not killed during the incident.