Which statement best defines occupant collides inside the vehicle?

• A. A vehicle collides with the environment
• B. A pedestrian strikes the vehicle
• C. An occupant collides inside the vehicle
• D. The vehicle overturns

Answer: (C)

Occupant collision inside the vehicle means the person inside the car strikes interior surfaces as the vehicle rapidly decelerates in a crash (such as the dashboard, steering wheel, windshield, or seatbacks). This happens because of inertia—the body wants to keep moving forward while the car slows down—so the occupant can impact the cabin before the vehicle comes to rest. This is different from the vehicle itself hitting something in the environment, or a pedestrian hitting the vehicle, or the vehicle simply rolling over. The statement captures the internal, in-cabin impacts that injuries from deceleration can cause, which is why it’s the best definition.