What happens to passengers as the vehicle starts to deform during a crash?

When a vehicle begins to deform during a crash, passengers inside are not securely anchored to the car's structure. As the car crumples, the occupants continue moving forward at the vehicle's original speed due to the principle of inertia, which is part of Newton's First Law of Motion. Inertia dictates that an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external force.

In a crash scenario, while the vehicle itself is experiencing a sudden deceleration as it hits an obstacle, the passengers do not immediately experience the same rapid change in motion. They continue to move forward until they come into contact with another object – commonly the dashboard, steering wheel, or seatbelt if they are wearing one. This forward movement can lead to injuries, highlighting the importance of seatbelt use as it helps to restrain the passengers and aligns their motion with that of the vehicle, reducing the risk of severe injury upon impact.

The other scenarios presented do not accurately portray what occurs during the deformation of a vehicle in a crash. Passengers do not remain stationary as the vehicle crumples, nor are they thrown out unless unrestrained in a particularly violent collision. Sudden deceleration, while experienced in a crash, primarily affects the vehicle itself and