Honda 2001 Passport, Owner'S Manual, Page: 300 / 317

"Speed kills," a saying goes. While the risk
of injury generally increases with speed,
not all auto injuries occur at high speeds,
and speed alone does not cause injuries. In
fact, the main cause of collision injuries is
a rapid decrease in speed, or rapid
deceleration.
For example, if a car collides head-on
with a solid barrier at 30 mph, the car will
decelerate to a stop almost instantly. Since
a person inside the car travels as fast as the
car, they will continue forward at 30 mph
until they are stopped by something.
If a person is not stopped by a seat belt
or airbag, they will strike the interior of the
car with a force equivalent to falling out of a
third-story window and landing face-first on
pavement. However, if the person is wearing
a seat belt, the belt will allow them to
decelerate at a slower rate. And the airbag
will provide additional protection for their
head and chest.
If a car crashes head-on into a solid
barrier at 30 mph, an unbelted
occupant can strike the interior of the
car with a force equal to falling out of
a third-story window onto pavement.