What is more serious a cut to the jugular vein or one to the carotid artery?
Most definitely a laceration of the carotid artery is more serious. The blood coming through the carotid artery is under much more pressure (120 mmHg vs. 5-10 mmHg in the jugular, generally speaking), so the blood will escape in greater volumes and in greater force through an artery. The jugular vein is more commonly injured in the neck because it is closer to the surface of the skin, so is more likely to be cut in a neck injury.
