The present invention provides a road vehicle having at least one strengthening member fixed to a structure of the vehicle, preferably extending adjacent to a front windscreen of the vehicle, between lateral edges of the front windscreen, wherein the strengthening member is dimensioned so that it will not prevent the driver from seeing an object which is at least two meters from the front windscreen. The present invention may further provide a road vehicle having at least one strengthening member which retracts to a first position and extends to a second position, and is movable from the first position to the second position. A particular type of strengthening member is formed of at least three first linearly extending structural units for extending from the front structure of the vehicle and second linearly extending structural unit joining the at least three first linearly extending units.