In May this year, BBC Race Across The World star Sam Gardiner died after a tragic car collision.
In 2020, Sam Gardiner and his mum, Jo, captured the hearts of BBC viewers as they journeyed across South America in the popular TV show Race Across The World.
Despite not winning the competition, their adventure was a hit with the nation. Sadly, it was revealed in May this year that Sam had died in hospital following injuries sustained in a car accident.
The 24-year-old had been driving on the A34 near Manchester when his vehicle veered off the road, rolled over and came to rest on its side.
An inquest into his death found that ‘insufficient’ tyre tread depth, heavy rain and Sam’s driving all played a part in the crash, reports the Mirror.
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On a recent episode of BBC Breakfast, his mother, Jo, appeared in a pre-recorded segment to discuss road safety. She is now raising awareness about the importance of tyre safety following her son’s tragic death.
Viewers discovered that, despite having relatively new tyres, the low tread on two of them rendered them illegal. Jo told BBC’s Jayne McCubbin: ” He wasn’t breaking the speed limit, but he was driving too fast for the conditions because it was really wet that night.
“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.”
It was revealed that Jo had given her son a device to check the pressure of his tyres for his lengthy commute from Manchester to Scotland; however, neither had paid much attention to the tread depth beyond it passing the annual MOT.
BBC’s Jayne asked: “You just thought, if it’s checked at the MOT, then it’s going to be fine?” To which Jo responded: “Yeah, it had never occurred to me before. The reason that tyres have tread is to disperse water.
“So, if they’re low, the water isn’t disputed, so you can get no grip on the road, so you lose control completely.”
Jo further added, “I think it’s so important that people are aware and don’t have to lose their son to find out, I think that’s very important to me. Even if it helps one person, be aware that that’s very important.”
Following his tragic passing, 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.
At present, the page has amassed over £28,000, with a heartfelt statement on the page reading: “In Loving Memory of Sam Gardiner. Sam was a superhuman. If you want to help fund research into one of the things which made him special, I am sure he would love that.
“A beloved son, a cherished brother, and a truly unforgettable soul. Sam Gardiner left us far too soon, and whilst words will never fully capture the light, joy and energy he brought into our lives, we hold on to the memories that made him so special.”
BBC Breakfast is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
