The mother of a beloved Race Across The World contestant has issued a heartbreaking road safety warning following her son's death in a car crash earlier this year.
A Tragic Loss
Sam Gardiner, who captured the nation's heart when he appeared on the BBC show with his mother Jo in 2020, died in May 2025 at just 24 years old. The young man sustained fatal injuries when his vehicle left the A34 near Manchester during heavy rain, rolled and came to rest on its side.
An inquest into his death revealed that insufficient tyre tread depth, the wet conditions, and Sam's driving speed for those conditions all contributed to the tragic accident.
A Mother's Vital Warning
In an emotional pre-recorded interview aired on BBC Breakfast, Sam's mother Jo spoke about the critical importance of tyre safety. She revealed that although Sam's tyres were relatively new, the tread on two of them was so low it made them illegal.
"He wasn't breaking the speed limit, but he was driving too fast for the conditions because it was really wet that night," Jo told BBC's Jayne McCubbin. "He hit the central reservation, and then I believe he aquaplaned across and off the road. The lack of tyre tread was a massive contributing factor."
Jo explained that while she had given her son a device to check tyre pressure for his long commute between Manchester and Scotland, neither had given much thought to tread depth beyond the annual MOT test.
Turning Grief Into Awareness
Jo is now determined to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedy. "The reason that tyres have tread is to disperse water," she stated. "So, if they're low, the water isn't dispersed, so you can get no grip on the road, so you lose control completely."
She added with powerful conviction: "I think it's so important that people are aware and don't have to lose their son to find out. Even if it helps one person, be aware that that's very important."
Since Sam's death, a Just Giving page has been established in his memory to raise awareness of Foetal Alcohol Effects, a condition he was diagnosed with after being adopted by Jo and his father, Andrew. The page has already raised an incredible over £28,000.
A statement on the fundraising page remembers Sam as "a superhuman" and "a beloved son, a cherished brother, and a truly unforgettable soul."
