As many as one in five young people between the ages of 17 and 34 have been a passenger in a car driven by someone under the influence of drugs, according to a new study.
An online survey conducted among 1,000 young people also shows that one in 20 drivers have been behind the wheel while using recreational drugs.
The research, which was commissioned by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) reveals that half of those who admitted to having driven under the influence of drugs had been fined for other traffic offences.
Those respondents who had used recreational drugs before were more likely to perceive driving while under the influence of drugs as less dangerous than those who have never used drugs.
Almost half of all respondents admitted to having used recreational drugs in the past, with 13 per cent saying they had used them within the past two months.
Overall, 79 per cent of respondents said they viewed driving under the influence of drugs as "very unacceptable," compared to 85 per cent who expressed the same view about drink driving.
Driving under the influence of drugs - whether prescribed medication or illegal substances - is considered just as dangerous as drink driving and is also against the law.
The use of ecstasy while driving was viewed as "extremely dangerous" by eight out of 10 respondents, while just 46 per cent held the same belief about driving under the influence of cannabis.
RSA chief executive Noel Brett said the findings were "extremely worrying".
"Typically drug-drivers think they are better drivers while under the influence of some drugs. They also think there is a lower risk of collision compared with drink driving, overestimate their ability to compensate for impairment and demonstrate little knowledge of the effects of driving under the influence of drugs,” said Mr Brett.
"Drugs can affect your mind and body in a variety of ways that mean you are not able to drive safely. Not only that, the effects can last for hours or even days," he added.
To raise awareness of the serious risk that drug driving poses to road safety, the RSA has unveiled two new advertisements which depicts the tragic consequences of a driver’s decision to take drugs.
