Timelapse video captures more than 50 vehicles pile up

Footage has emerged that captures a timelapse of the terrifying moment when more than 50 vehicles – including a Dancing with the Stars tour bus – piled into each other during a blizzard.

A traffic camera shows how motorists on a busy Iowa highway battled against horrific driving conditions before colliding into one another.

The accident, which killed one person and left at least five people in critical condition, happened on interstate 35 in Ames where temperatures on the road had plummeted to below -18C. 

The clip shows the pile up start with a single crash, barely visible through the snowy conditions

The Iowa Department of Transportation released the clip – which shows dozens of vehicles, including trucks, slide into the large pileup on Monday.

A bus carrying the touring cast and crew of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ was also involved the pileup, but no one on the coach was seriously hurt.

The clip shows the pile up start with a single crash, barely visible through the snowy conditions. 

But this soon escalates and vehicles of all kinds can be seen building up along the highway, despite the motorists best efforts to avoid the ever-growing pile up

Some cars manage to swerve to avoid getting caught up in the dangerous scenes and many motorists can be seen fleeing from their vehicles in a bid to avoid any oncoming traffic

But this soon escalates and vehicles of all kinds can be seen building up along the highway, despite the motorists best efforts to avoid the ever-growing pile up.

Some cars manage to swerve to avoid getting caught up in the dangerous scenes and many motorists can be seen fleeing from their vehicles in a bid to avoid any oncoming traffic. 

Others stand outside their cars, aiming to alert approaching vehicles.  

Police confirmed the multi-vehicle crash had been caused by hazardous road conditions from the blizzard.