The campaign highlights how:

• A second drink can double your chance of being in a fatal collision
• 1 in 10 people would have 2 or more drinks before driving
• 1 in 5 (19%) men aged 18 to 34 would have 2 or more drinks

Road Safety Minister Andrew Jones said: “Drivers know that drink driving is wrong. It can destroy families and ruin lives. Yet some irresponsible drivers still take the risk and get behind the wheel when they shouldn’t.

“Over the past 30 years drink drive deaths have fallen significantly but every death or serious injury is one too many. The best way for drivers to keep themselves and other road users safe is simple: don’t drink and drive.”

Sarah Sillars, Institute of Advanced Motorists chief operating officer, said: “Many of the people we work with on our drink-drive rehabilitation courses aren’t repeat offenders, many are drivers who thought that a second one couldn’t hurt.

“We support THINK!’s campaign which highlights the importance of avoiding the temptation of ‘just one more’.

“Know your limits and know the legal limit. Getting that second drink calculation wrong is easily avoided just by remembering that if you drive, don’t drink.”

However, Edmund King, Automobile Association president, added: “The best way to avoid any second or third drink is not to have the first drink. Once drivers have their first alcoholic drink their good intentions of not drinking and driving often go out of the window. The best advice for drivers is don’t drink and the best advice for drinkers is don’t drive.

“There is truth in the slogan that ‘a second drink could double your chance of being in a fatal collision’ but often it is that first drink which leads to the second.

“With uncertainty about strength of drinks and size of glasses the best advice is to forget the legal limits and have none for the road.”

The AA and Jameson Irish Whiskey will be launching a joint anti drink drive campaign later this month.