A hard-hitting road safety campaign returned to Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens for National Road Safety Week 2025 — delivering a powerful message about the catastrophic consequences of dangerous driving.
This year’s event saw Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester and Manchester City Council, alongside representative from Simpson Millar, support the return of one of the UK’s most recognisable road safety displays: Joseph’s Car.
At the centre of the campaign stood the mangled Audi A5 in which 25-year-old Joseph Brown-Lartey was killed in 2014, when a driver ran through a red light at 80mph. The wreckage was so severe that Joseph’s family donated the car to GMP to be used permanently as an educational exhibit and a stark, visual reminder of the devastation caused by dangerous driving.
Over the past decade, Joseph’s Car has become one of the country’s most powerful tools for raising awareness and pushing for tougher sentencing for dangerous driving offences. It has been displayed nationwide — from university campuses and major public events to an exhibition at Westminster.
This year’s return to Piccadilly Gardens drew significant public engagement, with officers, campaigners and specialists from Simpson Millar speaking to visitors about road safety and the far-reaching consequences of reckless behaviour on the roads.
Among them was Michael Goddard, a former GMP Family Liaison Officer who attended the collision that killed Joseph and has worked closely with the Brown-Lartey family ever since.
Now a Business Development Manager at Simpson Millar, Michael continues to volunteer with GMP to take Joseph’s Car to events across the UK. In his role with the firm, he supports families affected by catastrophic collisions, working alongside charities and Simpson Millar’s specialist legal teams to ensure they receive the guidance and aftercare they need.
Michael said: “The display at Piccadilly Gardens was a stark reminder of what is at risk every time someone chooses to drive irresponsibly. Road safety education remains vital if we are to prevent future tragedies. Joseph’s Car stops people in their tracks — and forces them to think about the consequences.’’
According to the charity Brake, more than 1,700 people die on UK roads every year, and a further 30,000 suffer serious, life-changing injuries. This Road Safety Week, the charity is urging everyone — whether driving, cycling or travelling as a passenger — to think carefully about the choices they make.
