A safety device on a vehicle includes a cable system provided for each one of front wheels of the vehicle, the cable system including a traction cable fastened on a first fastening point on a component of the vehicle body and on a second fastening point on one of the front wheels, at least one deflector arranged between the first and second fastening points, and a self-inhibiting device which includes a cable slack and a lock, wherein in a deactivated state of the cable system the lock releases the cable slack to permit a steering movement of the front wheel, and in an activated state locks the cable slack so that in case of a frontal collision a penetrating obstacle actuates the traction cable in dependence on an overlap of the frontal collision, thereby pivoting the affected front wheel from a starting position into a protective position in which the front wheel is turned with its outside in the direction of the obstacle and with its inside in the direction of an end wall of the vehicle body.