A bus driver in China narrowly escaped being impaled by a large blue lamppost that slammed into the windshield of his bus as he was conducting his daily route.

Though the post struck his head, Mao Zhihao's lightning-fast instincts managed to move him out of the way of more serious danger, and he was able to recover quickly and stop the bus.

"I was pinned down by the lamppost and put the bus into gear instinctively," he said in a follow-up interview from a hospital bed. "I just wanted to slow the bus down."

The incident, which took place in the province of Zheijang, was caught on camera by the bus's surveillance system.

Local authorities say two cars crashed into the street light, causing it to tip over.

[H/T: BroBible, video via SkyNews]