Final answer:
A person is less likely to be seriously injured in an SUV due to its design features like crumple zones and safety features like airbags, which prolong the collision time and reduce the force on occupants.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person is less likely to be seriously injured in a collision when driving an SUV. Modern vehicles are designed with crumple zones that allow for the car to crumple in a collision, particularly in the event of a head-on collision. This crumpling effect, often made possible by the use of plastic components, extends the collision time, reducing the force transferred to the occupants. While the momentum change for the occupants remains constant, the force experienced is less severe if it acts over a longer period. Airbags and other safety features also contribute to minimizing injuries by increasing the time over which the force acts on the passengers. Moreover, heavy vehicles like SUVs tend to have more mass, which can offer additional protection in some types of collisions, although this does not necessarily make them the safest option under all circumstances.