Paramedics said the driver of a car involved in a bizarre collision on Highway 417 southeast of Ottawa is lucky to be alive after he exited his car immediately following a two-car accident and just before a third vehicle rammed into his driver-side seat.

The incident began when a Ford Focus travelling eastbound on the 417 near Boundary Road veered onto the median and rolled several times before ending up in the westbound lane of the highway, colliding with a Chevy Aveo.

"The distance between the eastbound and westbound lanes is probably a good hundred metres and there's a fairly big ditch for a vehicle to veer off and go into oncoming traffic, so it's pretty rare in that area," said Ottawa paramedic Francois Coté, who was part of the team that responded to the scene just after 9 p.m.

Paramedics said the driver of the Aveo, a 45-year-old man got out of his car, just before a 4-door Honda rammed the driver-side door.

Paramedics from Ottawa and Prescott Russell arrived at the scene and said they couldn't believe the driver of the Aveo was only complaining of shoulder pain after they saw the state of his car.

"This gentleman here was very lucky," said Coté. "He came in contact with the Ford Focus which from what we were told by bystanders was a moderate collision. But he got out of his vehicle but then another Honda rammed into his vehicle right typically where he would be seated...[and] the seating compartment where the driver would be in was pushed in. He's lucky to still be alive today."

The driver and passenger of the Focus, both 18-year-old women, were both treated and taken to hospital as a precaution. The driver appeared uninjured and the passenger had cuts on both arms and pain in her hip and left leg.

Paramedics said the vehicle had taken "quite an impact and was a total loss."

The driver of the Aveo was also taken to hospital. The 46-year-old male driver of the Honda complained of chest discomfort from the deployment of an airbag but refused treatment. His 14-year-old daughter was also taken to hospital with injuries caused by the deployment of the airbag.

The highway's westbound lanes were temporarily closed for the cleanup. Ontario Provincial Police are investigating.