Minnesota Blue Card Practice Test

At what speed is it possible to be killed in a crash?

1. 10 mph

2. 12 mph

3. 15 mph

4. 20 mph

The correct answer is: 12 mph

In the context of vehicle crashes, the risk of fatality increases as speed increases, but even relatively low speeds can be dangerous. Surviving a crash is influenced by various factors, including the type of collision, the safety features of the vehicle, and the condition of the roadway. At around 12 mph, the force of impact significantly rises to a point where it may cause severe injuries or fatalities, especially in certain scenarios such as pedestrian strikes or collisions with non-vehicle objects. This speed is notably critical because it is often around this threshold that the severity of injuries typically seen in crash statistics starts to sharply rise. In addition, studies have shown that many accidents that occur at speeds below this threshold can still result in life-threatening injuries, particularly in vulnerable road users like pedestrians or cyclists. Understanding this helps emphasize the importance of maintaining safe speeds around people and in potentially dangerous conditions.