When a stationary car is hit from the back by another car, which way will the people (& things) in the stationary car be thrown?

Well: let's do some physics.

1. take a box, or a piece of paper, or something similar, and put it on the table in front of you.

2. take something else, something light and not too stable. A plastic figurine would work well, but see what you have that's similar. Put the object on the box/paper/whatever

3. shunt the paper forward, thus simulating the collision you described.

4. Observe

Hopefully you can describe what you observed.

Well: let's do some physics.

1. take a box, or a piece of paper, or something similar, and put it on the table in front of you.

2. take something else, something light and not too stable. A plastic figurine would work well, but see what you have that's similar. Put the object on the box/paper/whatever

3. shunt the paper forward, thus simulating the collision you described.

4. Observe

Hopefully you can describe what you observed.

Well, dear Capuchin, thanks for that. I already know all that. I was looking for a scientific explanantion because I've been having this debate with a friend who refuses to see the obviousness of pushing something fwd with something else. & where things move to. Maybe a more helpful answer..