Final answer:
Side impact panels and crumple zones protect occupants during a crash by increasing the time of impact and decreasing the force experienced, in line with the physics principle of impulse.
Step-by-step explanation:
Side impact panels and crumple zones protect occupants by allowing structures to collapse at different rates, thereby reducing the force imparted upon passengers during a crash. In the event of an impact, features such as crumple zones work to increase the time over which the impact occurs, reducing the force experienced by occupants. This process effectively answers the student's multiple-choice question with option (a), which states that it reduces injury to the passengers by increasing the time of impact. This concept of reducing injury through an extended impact time is linked to the physics of impulse, demonstrating how a longer collision time can mean a lower average force acting on passengers, thus enhancing their protection.