Final answer:
Side impact panels and crumple zones increase the time of impact during a crash, which reduces the force on occupants due to the principle of impulse, thus minimizing injuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
Side impact panels and crumple zones protect occupants by allowing structures to collapse at different rates and absorbing energy in a crash. This design helps to protect the passengers by increasing the time of impact, which corresponds to option (a).
The principle behind this safety feature is based on the concept of impulse, which is the product of the net force applied to an object and the duration of time over which it is applied (Fnet Δt).
Airbags and padded dashboards also serve this purpose by extending the time over which a force acts on the car's occupants during a collision. Consequently, for a given change in momentum (which is a conserved quantity in the collision), the longer the time over which this change occurs, the smaller the force that must be applied. This reduces the force of impact on the passengers, minimizing injuries.