Harrowing dashcam video shows what it's like to dangle off the side of a tall bridge

The advent of dashcams means more crashes are being documented for the world to see, including harrowing ones like this.

Dashcam footage has been released of a crash in the US that resulted in a semi truck hanging off the side of a bridge, with its driver unable to be freed for 45 minutes.

Video uploaded to YouTube by Indianapolis news station WTHR shows the moment a truck driven by Sydney Thomas was hit by a pickup which had swerved to avoid a stopped car on the Clark Memorial Bridge, which connects Kentucky and Indiana.

With the truck suffering damage to its wheel, no amount of turning by Ms Thomas could stop it from its trajectory towards the side of the bridge, where it continued and crashed through a railing.

However, its trailer became stuck, holding the truck back from plunging into the Ohio River and leaving Ms Thomas trapped for 45 minutes until rescue crews could extract her from the cabin.

From the moment of impact with the pickup to when the truck finally stopped and hung off the side of the bridge, just five seconds had passed, showing how quickly things can change on the road.

The pickup truck driver, who was driving on a suspended licence, was subsequently charged for his role in the crash, with witnesses claiming he had been weaving through traffic in the lead up to the incident.