Traumatic injury occurs when the body is exposed to force beyond its tolerance. The energy of a moving object is called kinetic energy and is calculated as follows:

Kinetic Energy =	Mass x (Velocity)2
	2

mass = weight
velocity = speed

The law of kinetic energy says:

• If you double the weight of a moving object the force doubles
• If you double the speed the force quadruples

In other words, speed kills. The amount of kinetic energy or force that is delivered to a human body dictates the severity of the injury. Therefore, speed is a very important factor in evaluating mechanism of injury.