This is the shocking moment a van making an illegal U-turn forces a BMW into oncoming traffic, triggering a five-car crash.

Dashcam footage shows traffic halted on a downhill dual carriageway when a white van suddenly swings across the road in a risky manoeuvre near Tuapse, on the Dzhubga–Sochi highway in Russia.

A BMW travelling uphill on the single lane swerves to avoid the van and crosses into oncoming traffic, slamming head-on into another vehicle before colliding with several more.

The video then shows debris flying across the road as vehicles crash into each other and come to a stop, while other drivers brake sharply to avoid the wreckage.

Police said the 55-year-old BMW driver struck at least five vehicles.

Three people were injured, including the BMW driver, the 42-year-old driver of a Lada, and his 17-year-old passenger. All were taken to the hospital with injuries of varying severity.

No injuries were reported in the other vehicles involved, which included a Volkswagen, a Mercedes, a Nissan, and a Chery.

The footage also reveals the van driver fleeing the scene on August 19.

The press service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Krasnodar Krai said the circumstances of the incident are still being investigated.