A belt deflector for the seat belt of a front seat in an automotive vehicle, more specifically in a cabriolet or coupe-type automotive vehicle, said belt deflector comprising a movable beam (28) that has a deflection portion (50) for the shoulder belt portion (46) of a seat belt, a base member (30) comprising a) securing means for securing it in the side region (22) of a bodywork, behind a front door and beneath a bodywork line (24) that is defined by the lower edges of the side window recesses, and forming b) a guide for the movable beam (28) so that the movable beam (28) is guided between a lower at-rest position and an upper position in which upper position the deflection portion (50) is located above the bodywork line (24), a drive (36) for the beam (28) which is movable relative to the base member (30), a control unit being associated with the drive (36) and a crash sensor that is responsive to crash acceleration of the automotive vehicle and triggers the control unit so that the drive (36) causes the movable beam (28) to move from the at-rest position to the upper position.