Method for braking a motor vehicle and motor vehicle

The method involves transmitting a trigger signal to a protection device for protecting a pedestrian in an event of impending collision with a motor car (10) to activate the protection device and cause the protection device to engage a functional position ready for protection. A service brake (20) is activated in response to the transmission of the signal by braking of the motor car to a predefined travel speed with predefined negative acceleration over a predefined time interval, where the braking of the motor car is carried out to decrease a travel speed at the predefined time interval. The protection device is designed as a window airbag (18). The predefined travel speed is 20 kilometer per hour, and the predefined time period lies within a range of 15-35 kilometer per hour. The pedestrian is a road user e.g. bicycle rider or an animal.