Which of the following is NOT a Yellow Mechanism of Injury criterion?

• A. Partial or complete ejection
• B. Pedestrian or rider collision with significant impact
• C. Fall from height >10 ft
• D. Penetrating injury to head, neck, torso, and proximal extremities

Answer: (D)

High-energy trauma that might hide serious injuries but isn’t immediately life-threatening is what Yellow Mechanism of Injury signals. The situations described in the first three options—ejection from a vehicle, a significant impact in a pedestrian or rider collision, and a fall from a substantial height—are classic examples. They suggest great forces at play and the possibility of multi-system injuries, so the patient should be transported rapidly to a trauma center and treated with suspicion for serious injury, even if they appear stable at first.

Penetrating injury to the head, neck, torso, or proximal extremities, however, is not in this yellow category. Such injuries carry a high risk of rapid deterioration, major bleeding, airway compromise, or organ damage, and they are typically treated as red or immediate-life-threat scenarios requiring urgent intervention and rapid definitive care. That’s why this option is not a Yellow MOI criterion.