vehicle 1 the collision sensors 13 then respond only when the actual collision occurs fig3 shows how in an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention the height criterion can be taken into account in the trigger condition it should be noted here that in the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the method of the invention the measurement data from the pmd camera 12 are always evaluated continuously so as to be able to classify objects located in front of the motor vehicle 1 so that the fundamental classification of a collision object 20 as a pedestrian has already an effect on threshold values considered within the context of the trigger condition the measurement data 22 from the pmd camera 12 are evaluated based on the height criterion 23 if the height criterion 23 is satisfied arrow 24 threshold values of a criterion 26 used to evaluate the measurement data 25 from the collision sensors 13 are adjusted so that the safety systems 10 11 are more likely triggered step 27 meaning that the threshold for triggering the safety systems 10 11 is lowered the height criterion 23 is hence used for a plausibility related adjustment of the.