The Florida Highway Patrol will be holding a roadside “Sobriety Safety Checkpoint” on Friday, November 14, 2008 between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.

The checkpoint location will be on State Road 10 (Hwy 90) just west of Avalon Blvd in Santa Rosa County. There will be approximately twenty-five (20) uniformed officers participating, as well as support personnel from the Emerald Coast MADD Chapter.

Other local agencies were invited to participate including the Escambia County Sheriffs Office, Pensacola Police Department, University of West Florida Police Department, Gulf Breeze Police Department, Milton Police Department, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Compliance.

During the operation, vehicles will be stopped to check for driver impairment. Should impairment be detected, roadside sobriety testing will be performed on site. Warning devices will be placed in strategic locations for the safety and protection of the public.

Reducing the deaths and injuries associated with impaired drivers is of the utmost importance to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The checkpoints have been very successful in removing impaired drivers from our public streets and highways.

State Road 10 is a main arterial route for motorist traveling through and between Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. Through the use of Roadside Sobriety Safety Checkpoints, we hope to merge public education and enforcement to achieve a reduction in the deaths and injuries associated with impaired drivers.

Please remind the public to utilize *FHP (*347) if they come in contact with what they believe is an impaired driver.