"Daycare Vehicle, Does This Make Sense? Tire with Exposed Stitching"

An Office Worker Accidentally Reports Vehicle Condition
Review After Immediate Tire Replacement... Praises Pour In
Tire Tread Wear Limit Set at 1.6mm

During the rainy season, accidents caused by slipping on wet roads are common, making tire inspection essential. Amid this, a tire on a vehicle operated by a daycare center was found to be so severely worn that its shape was unrecognizable, raising concerns among netizens.

On the 26th, an online community called 'Bobaedream' featured a post titled "This can't go on, I know it might seem nosy but I want to say something."

On the 26th, a post titled "This Won't Do, I Know It Sounds Meddlesome but I Have to Say Something" was uploaded on the online community 'BobaeDream'. [Photo source: Online community 'BobaeDream']

The author, Mr. A, said, "This is a vehicle from a daycare center near my office. If I meet the director, I plan to politely tell them that the tires are slippery during the rainy season and the road gets extremely hot afterward, so the tires might burst," and shared photos. The tires in the photos showed completely worn-out treads with rubber peeled off and even exposed threads.

Netizens who saw the tire photos were shocked. Comments included, "It's not even a cargo truck but a vehicle carrying people?how could it be driven in such a condition?", "Such safety negligence causes major accidents," and "It's really shocking that children were transported in that."

Mr. A later commented on the same day, "I contacted the phone number on the daycare vehicle, and the owner came out to see the tires with their own eyes. They said they would take immediate action and thanked me."

Not stopping there, on the 27th, he posted again, saying, "The director immediately went and replaced the tires. I personally confirmed it," and added, "I'm glad I spoke up." Netizens praised Mr. A's actions, saying, "You prevented a major accident."

Typical Tire Replacement Period: Every 30,000 km or 3 Years

If it is difficult to measure the exact figure, you can estimate the tread depth using a 100-won coin. Insert the 100-won coin into the tire groove; if Admiral Yi Sun-sin's hat is not visible, it means the tire still has life left, but if the tip of the hat is visible, the tire needs to be replaced.
[Photo by the vehicle management app 'MyCar']

According to the Automobile Management Act, the wear limit for tire treads is set at 1.6 mm. The tread patterns on car tires play a role in basic vehicle functions such as braking by controlling speed through friction with the road surface. When the tire tread wears down, friction with the road decreases, increasing the risk of slipping and tire damage. Therefore, tires must be replaced immediately once they reach the wear limit.

The usual replacement interval for tires is every 30,000 km or every 3 years. However, this varies depending on individual driving habits and tire products. More important than the replacement period is visually checking the condition of the tires. Unlike other vehicle parts, tires can be inspected anytime as long as the vehicle is parked.

If precise measurement is difficult, the tread depth can be estimated using a 100-won coin. Insert the coin into the tire groove; if the hat of Admiral Yi Sun-sin is not visible, the tire still has life left. If the tip of the hat is visible, the tire needs to be replaced.

Even if the wear limit seems acceptable and you feel relieved, there is another important factor to watch out for: the tire's production year. Since tires are primarily made of rubber, they harden over time, causing cracks and reduced performance. Therefore, tires older than 5 years need to be replaced. The manufacturing date can be found on the tire's sidewall.