Because more and more young people mix alcohol with energy drinks, researchers from University of Florida studied this phenomenon to see how popular it is and whether it’s dangerous or not.

After surveying 800 students returning from clubs between 10 pm and 3am, the researchers found that those who left the club later were the ones that mixed alcohol with energy drinks. Also they had the more alcohol in their blood and were more likely to drive a car within the hour

“There’s a very common misconception that if you drink caffeine with an alcoholic beverage the stimulant effect of the caffeine counteracts the depressant effect of the alcohol, and that is not true” said Bruce Goldberger, co-author of the study and director of toxicology at the University of Florida.

Mixing alcohol with energy drinks can lead to risky behaviors because the caffeine in the energy drinks will just reduce the sleepy feeling caused by alcohol. It’s estimated that about 28% of college drinkers consume alcohol mixed with energy drinks. “This study demonstrates that there definitely is reason for concern and more research is needed” said study author Dennis Thombs.