Drivers on North Main Street Friday night got caught in a traffic safety checkpoint that screened more than 800 vehicles during the night.

Suffolk police arrested five people and issued dozens of summonses during the operation, which was set up in the 1800 block of North Main Street in both directions. Officers arrested two people for driving under the influence of alcohol, one person for driving while under the influence of drugs, and two people for outstanding warrants.

Officers wrote 45 summonses ranging from driving with a suspended license to driving with defective vehicle equipment.

“The most important thing is visibility,” Suffolk Police Lt. T. Shelton said at a similar checkpoint in August. “If we let people know we are looking for drunk drivers, that makes them think twice before drinking and getting behind the wheel.”

Police decide where to set up the checkpoints based on incident history in the area. They take the area’s terrain into account, as well, for safety purposes — there has to be enough room for plenty of traffic and pedestrians to maneuver safely.