A Wisconsin woman has become a viral sensation after she jumped on the hood of her own moving car to prevent a carjacking.

Melissa Smith, 27, was printing her receipt at a petrol station in Milwaukee when a stranger jumped into her car and began driving away.

“I had my, ‘Oh no this isn’t happening to me today moment,’” Ms Smith told local news station WISN 12.

The saleswoman leapt onto the hood of the moving car, banging her hands on the windshield. She stayed planted there as the thief drove toward the street, slamming on the brakes and turning on the windshield wipers in an attempt to throw her off.

Ms Smith said she could hear him laughing from inside the car.

The would-be carjacker eventually jumped out of the vehicle, grabbing Ms Smith’s purse and phone as he left. The young woman then chased her still-moving car into the street, jumping into the driver’s seat before it could hit anyone.

“It isn’t the smartest and safest thing,” Ms Smith admitted, “but I just went with my instinct.”

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Surveillance footage of the incident made its way online, where viewers called Ms Smith everything from “crazy” to a “hero”.

She quickly booked interviews on local news stations, as well as CNN and ABC.

“My fiance was the first person I called,” she told CNN’s Brooke Baldwin. “He wasn’t too thrilled with my decision, but he’s very glad that I’m safe.”