The Department for Transport's Think! road safety campaign is this month celebrating its 50th anniversary.

A lot has changed during the last five decades in terms of both the volume of traffic on the UK's roads and the attitudes of drivers to issues like drink-driving and road safety in general.

It is therefore interesting to assess the impact of campaigns like Think! over the years, with a new survey carried out by the DfT revealing nine out of ten (91 per cent) people across the UK now agree that drinking and driving is an unacceptable behaviour.

Moreover, 92 per cent of respondents stated they would feel ashamed if they themselves were caught driving while under the influence.

The methods used to promote road safety have also changed over the years. Indeed, the DfT's latest Think! advertising shows the consequences of drink-driving and is a graphic reminder of the terrible risks offenders take, showcasing the scene of a car accident and its tragic aftermath.

Conversely, back in 1964, the first Think! advert was a polite reminder to drivers that drinking "just four single whiskeys" could double their chances of being involved in a crash.

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.

"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."

Indeed, there has been a sea-change in attitudes towards drinking and driving in the UK in recent years, but action is still needed to stamp out this irresponsible behaviour for good.

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This story was posted by Daniel Crosby, Assistant Marketing Executive at the Fuel Card Group.