At the moment of impact in a vehicle collision, what happens to unbelted occupants?

At the moment of impact in a vehicle collision, unbelted occupants continue traveling at the vehicle's original speed until they come into contact with something that stops their forward motion. This is due to the principle of inertia, which states that an object in motion will stay in motion at the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force. When a vehicle collides with another object, it decelerates suddenly, but unbelted occupants do not experience this deceleration immediately; instead, they continue moving at the speed the vehicle was traveling until they hit the dashboard, windshield, or are ejected from the vehicle.

Other outcomes are less likely to reflect the true scenario: while some occupants may be thrown from the vehicle, this isn't the case for all. Remaining stationary isn't accurate either, since their bodies would still be in motion relative to the vehicle. Instant deceleration of unbelted occupants isn't correct, as their motion would be halted only upon impact with another object. Understanding this principle emphasizes the importance of wearing seatbelts, which are designed to restrain occupants and reduce the risk of serious injury during a collision.