Final answer:
To lessen the impact force during a collision, extending the duration of impact through safety features like airbags and crumple zones is key, as these measures lower the force by increasing the time over which it's applied.
Step-by-step explanation:
To reduce the impact force during a collision, one needs to understand the concept of impulse, which is a product of net force and the time over which it acts (Fnet × Δt).
By increasing the duration of the impact, which can be achieved through features such as airbags, crumple zones in cars, and padded dashboards, the overall force experienced by the passengers is significantly reduced, as per the equation for impulse.
Airbags are particularly effective because they allow the net force on the car's occupants to act over a much longer time, which leads to a decrease in the force of impact.
Similarly, crumple zones in cars are designed to absorb energy by deforming, which increases the impact time and reduces the force felt by occupants. This concept also applies to other areas such as improving the safety of racing cars or sports safety gear like boxing gloves.