Objective  To analyze the incidence and characteristics of road traffic injury in Kailu County, Inner Mongolia, and provide evidence for the prevention and control of road traffic injury.

  Methods  The incidence data of road traffic injury in Kailu from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2021 were collected from the outpatient and emergency departments of local sentinel hospitals. The epidemiological characteristics of road traffic injury cases were analyzed by descriptive epidemiological method. The constituent ratio was calculated, and χ² test or trend χ² test were used for the comparison between groups.

  Results  A total of 9 702 road traffic injury cases were reported from 2012 to 2021, of which the injury cases caused by motor vehicle accidents accounted for 88.02%. The incidence of road traffic injury showed an upward trend from 2012 to 2015, but showed a fluctuated downward trend after 2015. The male to female ratio of road traffic injury cases was 1.65∶1, and the cases were mainly distributed in people aged 15–64 years (88.27%). The annual incidence peaks occurred in May (10.98%) and September (11.20%), and the cases mainly occurred during 08:00 to 11:00 am (34.21%) and during 15:00–17:00 pm (20.37%). The main activities of the cases when road traffic injury occurred were driving and vehicle riding (60.63%),the main injury site was head (34.04%), and the main outcome was mild injury (51.53%).

  Conclusion  Road traffic injury intervention should focus young and middle-aged men, and the protection of key body sites, such as head, should be strengthened to minimize or reduce the incidence and severity of road traffic injury.