VEHICLE OCCUPANT MONITORING APPARATUS AND VEHICLE OCCUPANT PROTECTING SYSTEM

A vehicle occupant monitoring apparatus includes two or more imaging modules and a controller. The imaging modules each include: a light-emitting device configured to emit and apply light to an occupant in a vehicle; and an imaging device configured to perform imaging of the occupant to obtain an imaging image. The controller is configured to cause the light-emitting device of each of the imaging modules to apply the light when the imaging device of corresponding one of the imaging modules performs the imaging. The controller is configured to cause, in a case where contact of the vehicle with another object is predicted or detected, the imaging device to perform the imaging to obtain the imaging image while causing the light-emitting devices of the imaging modules to apply the light together, and monitor the position of the occupant on the basis of the obtained imaging image.