A drive circuit for a firing cap, triggerable by an electric direct current firing pulse, of a vehicle restraint system, has a firing circuit which forms a series connection of a high side switch to the firing cap and to a low side switch. The firing circuit is connected between a supply voltage of a first potential, and a reference voltage of a second potential, in parallel with a capacitor that stores energy. The firing circuit being activated by a drive signal which is fed simultaneously to the high side switch and the low side switch, in order to feed a firing current to the firing cap during the firing pulse. In addition, in the firing circuit, a power switching element is also connected in series with the high side switch and the low side switch in order to draw lost power from the firing circuit during the firing pulse.