Are padded dashboards in cars safer in an accident than non-padded ones because an occupant hitting the dash board has decreased impact force and decreased impulse?

Yes, padded dashboards can enhance safety in a car accident by reducing the impact force experienced by occupants. The padding absorbs some of the energy from the collision, which can decrease the likelihood of injury by lowering the impulse transferred to the occupant's body. This cushioning effect helps to mitigate the severity of head and torso impacts with the dashboard during a crash.