Shocking footage shows the moment an out-of-control lorry smashed into the back of a learner during a 'nightmare' lesson.

The horror unfolded as a stopped at traffic lights in Dunfermline, Fife, leaving the 17-year-old female learner in a panic and "struggling to breathe" after her seatbelt locked tight around her body. Driving instructor Shanna Smith said she had to free the pupil from the driver's seat herself after the collision in the town on Friday.

Dashcam footage shows the HGV ramming into the back of the Peugeot 206 as it stops at the junction near a roundabout. The impact sprays shattered glass from the rear window into the car, and knocks the rear dashcam off as debris lands on the road.

READ MORE:

Describing how the crash happened and how they both reacted, Shanna told the : "We were on the left hand lane approaching traffic lights which had just gone green to amber. I hit the brakes at the line to help her. As I turned to speak to her that's when we were hit.

"Were were both in shock. We were panicking for a moment. The seatbelt was stuck onto my pupil really tight, I had to pull it off her. She was really shaken up. I was able to drive off from the scene. I took us both to the hospital. We both got checked over but thankfully there is nothing serious, just a few bruises. My left hand side took the brunt of it. I've still got pain down my neck."

Photographs showed debris from both vehicles strewn across the road. The impact tore off the lorry's licence plate while leaving the back window of the learner car smashed, and rear of the car was also dented. The have approached Police for comment.

Shanna has been a driving instructor since August, having previously worked as an HGV instructor in the army, and said such a crash is "every pupil's worst nightmare". Thankfully, the learner has not been put off driving and is keen to get back on the road - but the instructor has urged other drivers to be more careful around learners. Shanna said: "Thankfully the pupil already wants to get back behind the wheel. My biggest fear would have been that she was traumatised to ever go out again.

"It is really frustrating as an instructor to be out there telling a pupil to slow down when other drivers are speeding up at traffic lights. I think that is what has happened here. The HGV driver has anticipated us going but you have to stop at lights – it's what we tell our pupils to do.

"Any learner car should be treated with caution. It is fully marked with L plates and clearly visible. At the time we stopped there were was another car in the right lane who flew by us so it could have been anyone who drove into the back of us. We're just lucky there wasn't any more damage caused, had the lorry driver not hit the brakes it could have been much worse."