Elber Twomey’s crusade makes Europe’s roads safer

Road safety and suicide awareness crusader Elber Twomey, whose husband, infant son and unborn daughter were killed in a car crash caused by a suicidal driver, has been honoured for helping to make Europe’s roads safer.

The European network of traffic police, Tispol, presented Ms Twomey with its president’s award at a major road safety conference in Manchester, in recognition of her campaign to improve training for police dealing with those suffering a mental health episode or those at risk of suicide.

Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid, of the Garda National Traffic Bureau, and current Tispol president, said Ms Twomey’s work has had a huge impact across European police forces which will help save lives.

“Her work has resulted in significant improvements to both police pursuit training, and in particular, in relation to how those working in police control rooms manage or deal with such situations,” he said.

Ms Twomey, from North Cork, said she was completely overwhelmed with the award and is just happy that something positive has come from her own tragedy.

Ms Twomey lost her 16-month-old son, Oisín, and her unborn daughter, Elber Marie, when suicidal taxi driver Marek Wojciechowski smashed head-on into their family car as they returned from a family holiday in Devon in 2012.

Mr Wojciechowski, who had left a suicide note at home, was being pursued by a police officer in a marked car moments before he swerved into the Twomey’s car.

Ms Twomey’s husband, Connie, suffered devastating injuries in the crash and died in Cork University Hospital 10 months later.

Once Ms Twomey recovered from her own injuries, she launched a campaign to ensure police officers receive special suicide awareness training.

She delivered a powerful address to the 2015 Tispol conference, recounting her own tragedy.

Garda authorities have introduced specialised suicide awareness training in the Garda college in Templemore. But Chief Supt Reid said Elber’s work with Tispol has raised awareness across some 30 European police forces of the need for specialist suicide awareness training. He said senior officers across the network have been incredibly impressed with Ms Twomey’s strength, dignity and approach to working with them.

“Her own humanity shines through,” he said.

Last month, Ms Twomey thanked the public who have raised over €110,000 in the last three years through her annual Twomey Family Remorial initiative in her family’s honour. The money has helped suicide support charities including The 3Ts, Pieta House, Reach Out, Suicide Aware Cork, and Walk in My Shoes.