This is the hair-raising moment a heroine saved a child's life by jumping in the way of a car as it rammed into the side of a restaurant.

The dramatic scene captured by surveillance video unfolded at Junco's in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where the woman, Shanta Jordan, dove in front of a speeding car to save a child she didn't know from a driver about to crash into a stone wall.

The pair flew into the air on impact, leaving both laying on the ground as by-standers rushed to help.

The woman mitigated the boy's injuries because she took most of the impact from the collision.

This is the moment of the collision in Bridgeport, Connecticut when Shanta Jordan - pictured in a cream jacket - saved a child she didn't know

The child - who can't be seen here - was walking just yards away from a woman and another child before the crash happened

Police chief A. J Perez 'truly believes' the child - who was walking mere yards away from another woman and a child - would have died had the heroic woman not taken the impact of the car.

'I want to say thank you to this good person,' Perez said. 'If it wasn't' because she stepped in, I truly believe it would have been a fatality.'

Both amazingly survived the incident and were rushed to the hospital, where the woman is recovering and the child is healing from an operation, during which surgeons tried to save his legs.

A special tribute honoring Jordan will be held at City Hall next week.

The driver - who was also hospitalized - has been arrested and charged with reckless driving

Upon noticing the car was headed towards the child, she tried to move him so he would be out of the way of the speeding driver

Jordan dove in front of a speeding car to save a child - pictured in a dark hoodie behind his saviour - she didn't know from a driver about to crash into a stone wall

A special tribute honoring Shanta Jordan (pictured in left and right) will be held at City Hall next week