Island County Sheriff Mark Brown is on the right track in deciding to crack down on poor driving habits on county roads.

The combination of speed, alcohol and carelessness resulted in 12 traffic deaths on Whidbey Island last year. It’s probably a record, as total deaths on both Whidbey and Camano islands traditionally vary from three to nine each year. A single death is too many, but a dozen is totally unacceptable.

In Brown’s first major enforcement effort since taking office in January, he has named Deputy Lane Campbell as a one-man traffic unit, charged with focusing full-time on traffic enforcement. Brown has also been promised increased coverage on the county roads by the State Patrol, which he has close ties with due to his long career with that agency.

This increased emphasis is badly needed. Anyone who lives along a county road knows that it’s virtual anarchy out there as the county’s police staffing has not kept up with population growth. In general, people who speed do so with impunity, whether in the morning when children are waiting for school buses or late at night when no one is around.

Enforcement is what’s needed, not more education. The schools do a good job of warning kids about driving dangers, driving schools do the same, and all teens must attend IDIPIC meetings to hear tragic tales from victims of drunk drivers before they get their driver’s license. Education is good, but it must be coupled with the strong deterrence of enforcement.

Still, there are hundreds of miles of county roads and it’ll be a real challenge for Deputy Campbell and State Troopers to make their presence known on a consistent basis. The sheriff might consider bringing in citizens to help with the effort.

Other jurisdictions have armed citizens in neighborhoods plagued by speeding vehicles with radar guns, so volunteers can note who’s speeding and when. Such an undertaking comes with safety concerns, and would require training, but it might help keep speeding in check. Citizens can’t issue tickets, but they can take license numbers. Just a telephone call from the cops can make a big difference in some people’s driving habits.

But what Sheriff Brown is already doing is a good start. Just by paying more attention to the county roads is bound to help. We’ve had far too many traffic tragedies in the last year. We should all support this effort, and remember to always buckle up.