This footage shows a state trooper narrowly avoiding being crushed to death as a minivan smashes into a stopped car after he pulled it over on the interstate.

The incident caused mayhem and brought traffic to a standstill on the I-25 interstate in Adams County in the US state of Colorado on Tuesday, 15th February.

The footage, which was shot by a police vehicle dash cam, shows it pursuing a civilian vehicle, which pulls over on the hard shoulder on the left side of the interstate.

The police officer can be seen walking over to the driver-side window and speaking with the motorist, asking for his licence and registration and informing him that he had been speeding.

The police officer then returns to his own vehicle and, a few seconds later, a large minivan smashes into the back of the stopped civilian’s car.

The sound of tyres screeching on the tarmac can be heard as the second vehicle, reportedly a 2008 Dodge minivan, spins into the middle of the road. The stopped civilian’s car can then be seen further down the hard shoulder in a mangled wreck.

The state trooper immediately checks on the motorist in the stopped car, which was reportedly a 2010 Kia sedan, and asks him if he is all right. He instructs him to lean against the guardrail as he deals with the shock.

A police car can be seen pulling up and stopping in the middle of the road, apparently to indicate to oncoming motorists that they are approaching the scene of an accident. The state trooper can be heard ordering the interstate to be shut down.

The state trooper, who has been named as Travis Hood, can be seen speaking with his colleague as the footage ends.

The footage was shared online by the Colorado State Patrol with the message: “Move over. Pay attention. Real lives are at risk, including yours. This could have been worse.”

Colonel Matthew Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, said: “Every day law enforcement officers and other roadway workers put themselves at risk in an effort to improve safety on our roadways.

“Sadly incidents like these happen with incredible frequency and we are fortunate that a bigger tragedy didn’t play out yesterday on I-25.

“We are sharing this footage because it underscores the responsibility of drivers to move over and pay attention behind the wheel. There is no excuse for driving past any stopped vehicle at this rate of speed.”

The Kia driver, who has not been named but who is reportedly a 34-year-old male living in the city of Denver, sustained mild injuries and was taken to hospital.

The driver of the Dodge was reportedly a 20-year-old woman, who has not been named but who is from the city of Avondale in Arizona.

She reportedly sustained minor injuries and was checked at the scene by medics. There were two unidentified passengers in the Dodge who sustained moderate injuries.

The Dodge driver was given a citation for careless driving causing injury.