Introduction More and more drivers at large range of age have been participating in road traffic activities in China. This paper is to study age characteristics of road users who involved in road traffic accidents (RTA) in China.

Methods The data of road crashes and traffic injuries from 2000 to 2008 in China were collected from China Traffic Management Bureau to analyse relationships of age with crash, mortality, responsibility et al.

Results (1) The road crashes caused by children aged at 1–6 years accounted for 0.22% of all RTA in 2003 and decreased to 0.10% in 2008. The death of these children reached peak in 2002 and the death remained about 2.8% of all RTA death. (2) The proportion of crashes caused by middle-aged persons at age of 41–65 years were increased from 19.31% in 2000 to 27.87% of all RTA in 2008. (3) Crashes caused by over 65 years reached 1.5% of all RTA. But the dead of over 65 years increased to 10.5% of RTA death, it was increasing year by year especially after 2004. (4) 16–45 years old group were still the major part with responsibility for RTA, accounting for over 80% of traffic accidents, it caused 85.0% of RTA and count for 85.37% of RTA death in 2008.

Conclusion There are more and more middle-age and aged drivers, which may contribute to increase of road traffic accidents and deaths. The death of the older people caused by RTA is increasing gradually.