In a safety coupling for a motor vehicle for transmitting a driving torque between a machine shaft of an electric machine and a wheel drive shaft driving at least one wheel of a vehicle, torque is transmitted during disturbance free normal operation between the machine shaft and the wheel drive shaft via a releasable positive coupling. If a torque exceeding a limit value occurs, the releasable positive coupling is disengaged, and therefore an elastic coupling device at least briefly takes over the transmission of torque.