We reviewed 1,201 trauma deaths that occurred in Dade County, Florida, in 1982 in order to evaluate the need for an organized trauma network. There were 715 deaths (59.5%) at the scene. Of the remaining 486 patients who were transported to hospitals for treatment there were 240 central nervous system (CNS) deaths and 246 non-CNS deaths. Fifty-two (21.1%) preventable non-CNS trauma deaths were identified out of the 246 non-CNS deaths. The lack of an appropriate surgical procedure or a delay to surgery accounted for 82.7% of the preventable deaths. The preventable non-CNS death rate was 12.1% at the then functional Level I hospital and 26.4% at the other 22 hospitals (p less than 0.01). The ISS scores were similar for both the functional Level I hospital and the other hospitals. A trauma network involving seven hospitals is currently being established in Dade County, Florida. Applying the 1982 data to these hospitals reveals a preventable non-CNS death rate of 12.1% for the Level I hospital, 21.5% for the six planned Level II hospitals, and 30.0% for the other 16 hospitals. We conclude that: the severely injured should be triaged directly to trauma centers, and there is a need in Dade County, Florida, for an organized trauma system.