Which statement is true regarding the force on an unbuckled child in a crash at 30 mph?

The statement that an unbuckled child is hit with a force equivalent to falling from a third-story window accurately reflects the physics involved in a car crash. At 30 mph, the sudden deceleration of a vehicle during a crash can result in severe injuries due to the forces exerted on occupants. An unbuckled child, being unsecured, would continue moving forward at the same speed as the vehicle until acted upon by an external force—such as hitting the dashboard, windshield, or another part of the vehicle.

The comparison to a fall from a third-story window helps illustrate the severity of the impact and the potential for harm. In essence, the child is not safely restrained, leading to a significant risk of injury or fatality due to the abrupt forces experienced during the crash.

In contrast, the other statements do not accurately portray the realities of crash dynamics. A buckled child would still experience forces during a crash, although those forces would ideally be distributed across the safety restraints rather than directly impacting their body. It is also critical to recognize that crash forces affect everyone in a vehicle, regardless of age, meaning that only adults being impacted does not hold true. Additionally, the suggestion that an unbuckled child experiences forces equivalent to a five