Pedestrian protection device for a motor vehicle

A pedestrian protection device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a bumper crossmember;
• a deformation element, which is arrangeable on the bumper crossmember and which has a first element and a second element which, in an event of a collision of the motor vehicle, are displaceable relative to each other;
• and
• a mechanical locking mechanism which has a moveable locking element that interacts with a contact surface and which is pretensionable or is pretensioned with a spring device, the movable locking element being arranged on the first element or the second element and being latchable in a form fitting manner with a depression or step to the other of the first element and the second element, wherein
• at a high displacement speed which is greater than or equal to a predetermined second displacement speed, the locking mechanism prevents a displacement of the first element relative to the second element by self locking of the locking element,
• at an average displacement speed which is less than the predetermined second displacement speed and greater than a predetermined first displacement speed, the locking mechanism permits a displacement of the first element and the second element relative to each other, and
• at a low displacement speed which is less than or equal to the predetermined first displacement speed, the locking mechanism prevents a displacement of the first element and the second element relative to each other at least partially by a form-fitting latching of the locking element with the depression or step.