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Completing a head-to-toe assessment is a crucial step when conducting a secondary survey on a trauma patient because it allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the patient's condition. This thorough assessment helps identify any injuries that may not be immediately apparent, especially in cases of trauma where the patient may be in shock or unable to communicate effectively about their pain or injuries.

The head-to-toe assessment systematically covers each part of the body, ensuring that nothing is overlooked. This includes checking for signs of trauma, bleeding, deformities, or abnormal findings in each region, and allows for the identification of life-threatening conditions that may need urgent intervention.

This approach contrasts with the other options provided. Focusing only on major injuries would risk missing subtle but significant injuries that could worsen if not addressed. Assessing the mechanism of injury is important but serves more as a preliminary evaluation to understand potential injuries than as a detailed assessment. Lastly, forgetting to check vital signs would severely compromise the evaluation process, as vital signs are essential indicators of the patient's physiological status and can guide immediate care decisions.