The poll, carried out by THINK!, found that 91% of respondents said drink driving was unacceptable and 92% of people said they would feel ashamed if they were caught drinking and driving. This compares to over half of male drivers and nearly two thirds of young male drivers who admitted drink driving on a weekly basis in 1979.

The shift in attitudes is a stark contrast to the first drink drive public information film in 1964, which was set in an office Christmas party. The advert politely reminded people that ‘4 single whiskeys and the risk of accident can be twice as great… If he’s been drinking, don’t let him drive.’

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: ‘The change in attitudes to drink driving over the last 50 years is a huge success story. It is hard to imagine now how shocking and ground-breaking the first drink drive campaigns were when they launched. Clearly THINK! has had a significant impact.’

However, as the Government launches its new anti-drink drive advert, it acknowledged that there is still a long way to go.

The latest initiative uses Kool And The Gang's cheery 1980 Celebration song alongside a dramatic crash scene and the aftermath to show that there are still too many people being killed on the roads by drink-drivers.

Patrick McLoughlin continued: ‘Most of us understand drink driving wrecks lives but there is further to go. In 2012, 230 people were killed in drink driving accidents – 230 too many. This makes the THINK! campaign as relevant as ever.’

And new research from the AA shows that more needs to be done to address the issue of drink driving by women.

The organisation said that while the likelihood of a male driver failing a breath test after an accident was falling steadily, the decline in female failure rates was only a third of that of men.

AA president Edmund King said: ‘While women have a better track record on drink-driving than men, it is important to shine a spotlight on the fact their improvement rate has stalled in recent years, and in some age groups, regressed.’

Meanwhile road safety charity Brake is using the anniversary of the first campaign to renew its calls for a zero-tolerance drink drive limit of 20mg alcohol per 100ml blood.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: ‘Public education is critical to tackling road deaths and injuries, not just those caused by drink driving, so it is vital the government continues to fund this work. However, it is shocking that even though drivers are now well informed of the dangers, many continue to get behind the wheel after a drink, causing an unacceptable death toll and horrendous suffering for those who are left bereaved or injured. That’s why we need a zero-tolerance drink drive limit – to send a clear message that any amount of alcohol makes you unsafe to drive – with tougher penalties and enhanced traffic policing to enforce it. Think – how many more lives will be destroyed or ruined if we don’t act now?’