A pedestrian safety device

A safety device for the bonnet 10 of a motor vehicle includes a spring 12 which is used to move two arms, L1, L2 from a collapsed state to an extended state when the bonnet 10 is raised due to a collision with a pedestrian. The spring 12 may ensure that the two arms L1, L2 reach an over-centre position in which they are able to prevent the bonnet from being forced down when a pedestrian falls upon the bonnet 10, by interacting with a stop 13.; Third and fourth arms L3 and L4 form a secondary linkage between the bonnet 10 and a body structure 11 of the vehicle, the first and third arms L1 and L3 being pivoted at a first pivot P1 to the bonnet 10 while the second and fourth arms L2 and L4 are pivoted at a second pivot P2 to the body structure 11, the first and second arms L1 and L2 being pivoted together at a third pivot P3 and the third and fourth arms L3 and L4 being pivoted together at a fourth pivot P4. The spring 12 may be arranged between the third pivot P3 and the fourth pivot P4 to form a self-contained unit. In an alternative (Fig.7, not shown), the spring is connected between the fourth pivot and the body structure.