A large segment of of U.S. drivers (85%) reported they’re safer than average, despite admitting risky habits, according to a new Arity survey.

The survey reveals a disconnect between what drivers know is risky and the behaviors they report, highlighting the value of understanding driving behavior over time, the mobility and analytics provider said.

In a survey of 1,000 U.S. drivers, Arity found that 85% of respondents consider themselves safer than average, even though 82% admit to at least one potentially unsafe behavior in the past three months.

That belief persists even after drivers face consequences: 86% of respondents who received a speeding ticket or violation in the past three years still consider themselves safer than average.

“Driving is something most of us do every day, but we rarely stop to think about the patterns we’ve developed over time,” said Gary Hallgren, president of Arity. “This survey shows just how human that is. We know certain behaviors are risky, yet in the moment, we do them anyway. A driving report can help reveal the patterns we may not see in ourselves, giving people a new way to understand how they really drive, not just how they think they drive.”

Drivers’ perceptions of risk often differ depending on their own self-reported behavior.

Among respondents who report speeding, only 36% say speeding makes driving less safe. Among those who don’t report speeding, 69% say the same.

Recognizing a behavior as unsafe does not always stop drivers from taking the risk, the survey found.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents say accelerating through a yellow light makes driving less safe, yet 51% admit to doing it. Similarly, 85% consider driving while very tired unsafe, but one-third (33%) say they have done it.

The same gap shows up with phone use.

While 90% say looking at or touching a smartphone makes driving less safe, certain situations still prompt drivers to interact with their phones behind the wheel. These include receiving a call or message from a family member or friend (68%), a navigation notification (57%), social media notifications (30%), ordering food (26%), taking a photo or video (25%) and boredom (25%).

The findings suggest that awareness alone does not always translate into behavior, Arity said. “Risky choices can still happen in everyday moments when convenience, urgency or distraction gets in the way. The opportunity is not simply to remind drivers what is considered safe, but to give them more visibility into their own reported patterns.”

Drivers see value in understanding the patterns behind their driving habits, the survey found.

While only 27% of respondents say they know what a driving score is, 83% say a driving score could help identify behaviors they may not notice on their own. At the same time, 89% say potential savings or other benefits could make sharing their driving data with an insurer worthwhile.