What speed of a motor vehicle accident automatically triggers a trauma alert?

The threshold that triggers a trauma alert in a motor vehicle accident is related to the speed of the vehicles involved. A speed of more than 40 mph indicates a higher likelihood of severe injuries due to the kinetic energy involved in the crash. At this speed, the potential for significant trauma increases, including head injuries, internal injuries, and fractures, which necessitates a higher level of medical attention and care.

The reasoning behind using this specific speed as a cutoff is based on data and research that suggest the severity of injuries tends to increase significantly beyond this point. This threshold is often adopted by emergency medical services and trauma centers to provide guidelines for when to escalate care and resources in response to a vehicular incident. Hence, a speed exceeding 40 mph automatically triggers a trauma alert to ensure that appropriate pre-hospital and hospital services are prepared for the potential gravity of the situation.