What it means
A common shorthand in emergency and trauma notes for a road crash. Many services now write MVC, motor vehicle collision, because "accident" suggests nobody was at fault. The details that matter are the speed, seat belt or car seat use, airbag deployment and where the person was sitting.
In a chart
"Restrained driver in an MVA at about 40 mph; airbags deployed; complains of neck pain."
At a glance
| Also written | motor vehicle accident, MVC, motor vehicle collision |
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Related terms
triage
Sorting clients by how urgently they need care, to decide who is seen first.