This is the dramatic moment a bout of road rage turned very nasty when a BMW driver attempted to shunt another motorist off the highway.

Instant karma came for the driver following the act of aggression however, as only moments later the 4x4 skidded off the road and onto a grass verge.

The shocking incident was captured on a dashcam by a vehicle travelling along the stretch of motorway in Durban, South Africa.

A silver Volkswagen Polo, which is being tailgated by the BMW x5, overtakes the filming car in the outside lane

The video shows a silver Volkswagen Polo, which is being tailgated by the BMW x5, overtaking the filming car in the outside lane.

The driver of the larger car, which has its hazard lights on, appears to want the Polo to move over into the middle lane.

And as the two vehicles continue down the motorway, the Polo does indeed pull over to allow the BMW x5 to overtake.

But this action does not seem to defuse the situation as instead of overtaking, the BMW driver decides to cruise alongside the Polo.

The Polo pulls over to allow the BMW x5 to overtake and the two cars cruise alongside one another on the road

Suddenly the road rage boils over and the BMW x5 pulls in and out of the middle lane with a jerk reaction

The two cars continue down the motorway next to one another for a couple more feet until suddenly the road rage boils over.

Pulling in and out of the middle lane with a jerk reaction, the BMW comes within inches of colliding with the Polo.

The manoeuvre appears to try and intimidate the driver of the Polo, who reacts by moving over to the left hand lane to avoid a crash.

The video maker can be heard sounding his horn at the dangerous driving in front as suddenly the BMW begins to skid off the road.

The BMW comes within inches of colliding with the Polo, which reacts by moving over to the left hand lane

Unable to correct such a manoeuvre, the 4x4 veers onto the grass verge along the side of the motorway

Unable to correct such a dramatic manoeuvre, the car veers onto the grass verge along the side of the motorway and ploughs into a ditch before coming to a stop in front of a crash barrier.

Since appearing online a number of people have commented on the dramatic footage.

One viewer wrote: 'I don't care if that dude in the BMW crashed already, he still needs to be found and charged for his actions.

'Despicable that people like this are allowed on our roads. They think they own them, but they don't even deserve to be on them.'