This is the heartstopping moment a car almost crashed into a child on a bike who suddenly veered into the road.

The driver’s quick-thinking helped avoid a collision with the youngster in the village of Boughton, between Faversham and Canterbury.

The motorist was travelling through the rural area on March 6 at about 3.30pm when the cyclist suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Dashcam footage shows the child swerve out from behind a parked car.

But thankfully, the driver’s fast reflexes meant a head-on collision was narrowly avoided.

“If your children are riding bikes, please teach them road safety,” a post shared on a local Facebook group states.

“This could have been so, so bad. It completely shook the driver up and they had to pull over to stop shaking.

“If he was going any faster … it would have devastated him if he had hit him.”

A Kent County Council spokesperson said: “We all have a responsibility to be safe on the roads, whether you are cycling or driving.

“In the case of children and young people, we offer a number of schemes for schools that provide the training required to cycle on the road.

“Our Bikeability team deliver cycle training to children in schools across Kent.

“Riders are taught essential cycling skills including entering the carriageway, where to be positioned and navigating junctions and parked cars.

“Guidance is also given on protective equipment that should be worn, as well as bicycle maintenance.

“Cycle training is available to people of all ages across Kent.”