One quarter of young people falsely believe that drinking alcohol does not impair a person's ability to drive.

Speaking to Newstalk, Drinkaware CEO Dearbhla O’Brien said she is hugely worried about the attitude of young people towards drink driving.

“Amongst the 18-24-year-olds, 23% of them do not agree that any amount of alcohol impairs your driving ability,” she said.

“That is pretty concerning - particularly given the rise in road collisions.”

Pints of beer in the sunlight on a pub table.

Ahead of the bank holiday, Drinkaware is dispelling myths about drinking and driving and wants to remind people that food or caffeine drinks have no effect on sobriety.

It takes at least one hour per unit of alcohol to leave the body or two hours for a pint of beer and Ms O'Brien said people should not fool themselves with dangerous misconceptions.

“Only time runs alcohol from the body,” she said.

“There are a lot of common myths that the likes of a large Irish breakfast or having lots of coffee, tea, energy drinks et cetera will sober you up.

“They may very well make you feel better - but the only way to remove alcohol from your system is time.

“No amount of food or water will speed that process.”

Drinkaware is encouraging people to use its drinks calculator tool which will let you know when you will be in a fit state to drive again and over the Easter Bank Holiday, the device was used over 4000 times.

So far this year, 69 people have died on Ireland’s roads.

Main image: Pints glasses. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie