A mother duck and her eleven ducklings had a very lucky escape after they were run over by a motorist while crossing a highway.

Footage shows the shocked parent bird flap into the air as the vehicle mows over her brood in Fort Worth, Texas, before gathering up her unhurt ducklings and continuing with the perilous crossing.

A bystander can be heard shouting moments before the car hits: 'Mother duck, where's your yellow safety vest?' 

The video, filmed on May 3, shows the white Muscovy duck calmly leading her chicks into an empty six-lane highway. 

She leisurely waddles forwards, the youngsters following in a line, before leaping up in shock as a black 4x4 zooms over the family group in the second lane.

A woman screams in the background as she spots the possible tragedy unfold.