If a vehicle occupant is not wearing a seatbelt and the vehicle strikes a fixed object at 60 mph, what will happen?

When a vehicle strikes a fixed object at a high speed, such as 60 mph, the laws of physics come into play, particularly the concept of inertia. An occupant who is not wearing a seatbelt will continue to move forward at the same speed as the vehicle—60 mph—because they are not secured and thus not subject to the same forces that affect the vehicle itself during a collision.

When the vehicle comes to an abrupt stop upon impact, the occupant's body, which is still in motion, does not stop immediately. Instead, they will travel forward until they reach a point of impact, which could be the dashboard, windshield, or another internal structure of the vehicle, unless they are restrained by a seatbelt or collide with another object outside the vehicle. This scenario highlights why wearing a seatbelt is critical; it helps to secure the occupant in place, allowing the safety features of the vehicle to protect them more effectively during a crash.

The other options describe outcomes that don't accurately represent the physics of a collision or the reality of vehicle safety during an accident.