An impact protection device and a method for protecting an object, such as a vehicle, using the impact protection device. The first side wall includes a gate, and the second side wall is spaced apart from the first side wall such that the front wall, the rear wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall define a milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock. The chip gripper contains a shaft with a longitudinal drill hole to which vacuum can be applied that is illuminated so that light emerges out of the suction opening of the suction organ.