Chilling footage captures two people narrowly escaping death as a car hurtles off the road at breakneck speed before slamming into a set of pedestrian stairs they were descending.

Surveillance footage from Perm, Perm Krai, Russia, reveals the Volkswagen Passat barreling towards the pavement with lightning speed before slamming into the staircase at around 5:15 pm on August 22.

Two people descending the staircase are seen freezing in place as the car comes to a sudden halt, skidding to a stop just inches away from them.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Perm Krai said in a statement on the day of the incident: 'The causes of the car accident in Perm, where a vehicle flipped over and landed on a pedestrian staircase, are being investigated by the police.

'Today in Perm, around 5:15 pm local time, an accident occurred at the intersection of Plekhanova and Petropavlovskaya Streets involving a single car.

'The Volkswagen Passat, travelling from Lenina Street, veered off the road, overturned, and crashed onto a pedestrian staircase where several people were standing.

'Preliminary reports suggest that the driver lost control of the vehicle. The driver was taken to a medical facility with injuries. Fortunately, other road users were not harmed in the incident.

'The police are currently working to determine all the circumstances surrounding the accident.'