Unbelted vehicle occupants reach 0 mph by striking the windshield, steering column and dashboard.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. They reach 5 mph
• D. They never reach 0 mph

Answer: (A)

When a crash happens, the vehicle decelerates quickly, but an unbelted occupant keeps moving forward due to inertia. That forward motion continues until the body slams into the windshield, steering column, or dashboard. At that moment, the interior surfaces stop the forward motion relative to the car, so the occupant’s speed inside the car is brought to zero (even though the car itself may still be moving). This illustrates why restraint systems matter: belts keep you with the car's deceleration, and airbags help distribute and lessen those stopping forces, reducing injury from that interior impact.