Associated with explosive growth in motorization, China has the world's highest road toll with more than 100 000 deaths and 400 000 injuries annually. In response, the Chinese Government introduced the first road traffic safety law in 2003, which included mandatory use of seatbelts by drivers and front seat passengers. Noting frequent non-compliance to this seatbelt regulation by Beijing taxi drivers, the authors studied seatbelt use patterns as onboard observers in a convenience sample of 235 taxi trips. Findings indicated a low seatbelt-wearing rate among taxi drivers of 7.7%, an overt non-wearing rate of 57%, covert non-wearing of 35.3% and total non-compliance of 92.3%. As in high-income countries, adoption of proven safety strategies, including wearing safety restraints, could contribute to reducing the Chinese road toll, particularly as vehicle occupant numbers and the availability of restraints increases. Further investigation of reasons for non-compliance and pretence of wearing seatbelts is required to inform future seatbelt-wearing promotions, including attitudinal studies of taxi drivers. Seatbelt wearing rates should continue to be monitored.