Apparent errant driving resulted in six forklifts - including at least one Yale - falling into a grassy highway shoulder after a semi-trailer overturned in Florida.

The 8 March incident occurred at 1:41am. The onsite investigation and debris removal disrupted traffic until the scene was cleared at 5:am.

A Florida Highway Patrol traffic crash report says Chad Chestnut, 37, of Blue Creek, Ohio, the Volvo-brand truck's driver, "failed to maintain control of the vehicle". The highway patrol's investigation continues.

The truck was travelling northbound on Mango Road and merging with US highway 301 in Thonotosassa, north-east of Tampa in Hillsborough County.

The report says the truck incorrectly travelled into the highway's southbound lane, overturned on its left side and "came to rest facing northbound on the southbound grass shoulder".

The motor carrier was identified as Noahs Transportation LLC, of Washington Court House, Ohio.