Roll bar protection system for motor vehicles

Such rollover protection systems typically have a rollover body (2) which is guided and accommodated in a vehicle-fixed guide body (1), in combination with a locking device (5, 10) for locking the extended rollover body (2) against unintended retraction. In order to structurally manage high load peaks occurring during a rollover without total failure of the locking device, the invention provides that the rollover body (2), the associated guide body (1) and its fastening to the vehicle, based on the maximum load occurring during a rollover, are designed as a rigid system, and at least one locking component (5, 5') and/or its fastening to the rollover or guide body is designed as a defined intended deformation point for a limited defined deformation path in the direction of travel of the rollover body for energy dissipation.