A trucker ploughed through a line of cars on a busy highway when a driver stopped to let a turtle cross the road.

Kind-hearted motorists had pulled up to avoid hitting the reptile as it slowly inched across the motorway in Walton County, Florida, on May 16.

But a trucker did not see the queue until it was too late and powered into two of the vehicles sending them flying.

The trucker's dashcam footage - released by police - shows a black pickup truck in the left lane with its hazard lights on, trying to warn other drivers.

But one car pulled out into a right-hand lane into the path of the trucker, who then hit its rear end sending it crashing into the black pickup.

As debris and wreckage flew into the air, the trucker then clipped the front of the pickup before stopping on the wrong side of the road.

Astonishingly, the turtle survived the pile up without a scratch.

Police later said: 'The turtle survived and is now living happily ever after in a pond where he will (hopefully) spend the rest of his days avoiding pavement of any kind.

'Thankfully, there were no serious injuries.'

Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement: 'We all can do better to protect the wildlife and natural inhabitants of our great state.

'Residents and visitors alike should marvel at the many species that call Florida home.

'Just preferably not in the middle of the road.

'Walton County Sheriff's Office and Florida Highway Patrol would like to take this time to educate and protect those behind the wheel.

'We don't advise causing a road obstruction because of a reptilian obstruction.

'While no ill intentions were meant, trying to avoid or assist an animal who has made its way onto a busy road can cause you or other drivers life-threatening injuries.

'So, when you come across this predicament in the future and find yourself asking, 'to swerve or not to swerve' or 'to stop and protect' we hope the answer will now be an obvious one.

'Be safe out there. We're here if you need us.'