HARTFORD, CT - A brain fitness training tool has been clinically proven to help older adults reduce their likelihood of being in a car accident, according to a survey from The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

Using DriveSharp, a computer-based program, for 20 minutes a day, three times a week helps older drivers cut their crash risk up to 50 percent, stop 22 feet sooner when driving 55 mph, and increase confidence while driving at night and in stressful conditions, according to The Hartford survey.

However, the survey found 74 percent of drivers are unaware of those benefits.

"It is important for drivers to understand that they can take an active role in staying safe on the road as they age," said Jodi Olshevski, gerontologist and assistant vice president of The Hartford. "We all have a responsibility to maintain our driving skills throughout our lifetime."

About half of all adults surveyed believe older drivers can improve their skills to allow them to safely drive for more years, but drivers under 40 are least likely to believe there is anything an older driver can do to improve their skills to allow them to drive safely longer.

"DriveSharp is the only clinically proven program to improve the driving skills of older drivers," said Steven Aldrich, CEO, Posit Science Corporation, a provider of clinically proven brain fitness programs. "It was tested by a global team of more than 50 scientists and based on research funded by the National Institutes of Health."

The brain fitness survey also found that while more than 60 percent of adults participate in an activity with the specific purpose of improving their brain, adults age 60 or older are the most likely age group to say they often participate in activities with the specific purpose of improving their brain.