SPRINGFIELD, Mo--This weekend, the Springfield Police Department and the Greene County Sheriff's Office conducted a sobriety checkpoint.
In 30 minutes five people were put in handcuffs before it was shut down due to weather.
Police then did a saturation patrol, where officers scatter throughout the community looking for drunk drivers. Then three more people were arrested.
"If you drink, you drive, you will lose," said David Snider with the Springfield Police Department.
It's a simple message.
Police departments throughout the Ozarks will be conducting checkpoints.
"Summer is winding down which means there are lot more teenage drivers on the road because they want to go out and spend their last few weekends with their friends and have fun. We want to also encourage when you have fun, you have to be responsible," said Snider.
Last year in Missouri alone, 240 people died in crashes with an impaired driver. Police say doing sobriety check points saves lives. Even if they make one arrest, they say they are making a difference.
"Even if we arrest one person we have done our job," said Snider.
Checkpoints are typically done thanks to grants from either federal, state, or the local level. Even with tight budgets, police say checkpoints are a priority.
"Whenever we get the funding is when we like to do it. We would like to do more, but we try to get everything together to make things like this happen. We want to go out and give literally the best bang for your buck. We want folks to know their tax money is going out to something that's going to support the community with taking these impaired drivers off the streets.
Police want to remind drivers a D.W.I. conviction is a serious offense.
If you cause a fatal crash while intoxicated, you could be charged with involuntary manslaughter-- a felony resulting in up to seven years of jail time, a five thousand dollar fine or both.
