The percentage of professional truck drivers who wear seat belts jumped last year to a record 65 percent, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The survey, recently released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), shows 65 percent of truckers were buckled up in 2007, compared with 59 percent in 2006 and 48 percent in 2003.

Nationwide, 82 percent of passenger vehicle drivers wear seat belts. But truck drivers historically have lagged in compliance with seat belt laws.