The Technical Working Committee of National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has banned the use of Toyota Voxy vehicles for long-distance commercial transport, citing serious safety concerns following a string of fatal road accidents involving those vehicles.
The decision was arrived after a Technical Working Group’s investigation revealed that the Voxy vehicles which have been converted from right-hand to left-hand drive are a major threat to passenger safety.
Presenting the findings of the group to the Authority, Chair of the committee, Dr. Godwin Kafui Ayetor, said the ban is necessary to prevent road accidents.
The Technical Working Group investigating the safety of converted Toyota Voxy vehicles has described the situation as deeply troubling, calling for urgent regulatory intervention.
Presenting the committee’s final report to the Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority on Wednesday, April 8, Chairman of the committee, Dr. Godwin Kafui Ayetor, stressed that the Toyota Voxy is fundamentally unsuitable for commercial passenger transport.
He explained that the manufacturer designed the vehicle as a minivan for young middle-class families, not for commercial use. “The manufacturer informed us that the Toyota Voxy is a minivan designed for young middle-class families, not for commercial passenger use. In other words, it is not designed for high mileage and is intended for use on paved roads,” he said.
According to him, the vehicle is not built for high mileage and is intended primarily for use on paved roads. He warned that the design of the Toyota Voxy makes it particularly unsafe for commercial operations, especially under demanding road conditions.
“Once off-road conditions come into play, the recommendation is to use vehicles such as the Toyota Hiace, which are specifically built for commercial applications,” he noted, adding that vehicles like the Toyota Hiace are more appropriate, as they are specifically built for commercial transport.
The committee also raised concerns about the conversion process, which often involves major structural modifications, including changes to suspension systems and tyres.
“As part of the conversion, the suspension is altered and the vehicle is raised. The tyres are also changed. However, the tyres that come with the Toyota Voxy are passenger tyres, not designed for high payload or high mileage,” he explained.
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Dr. Ayetor explained that these alterations place excessive strain on the vehicle and compromise its structural integrity, particularly during long-distance travel.
He further pointed to what he described as a systemic regulatory breakdown that has allowed the widespread use of such vehicles. “We observed a systemic regulatory breakdown, which has led to the proliferation of these conversions. These vehicles are often unlawfully imported, improperly converted, and operated as commercial transport, posing serious safety risks,” he stated.
According to him, many of these vehicles are unlawfully imported, improperly converted, and operated commercially, posing significant safety risks.
The committee is therefore recommending strict enforcement of laws banning the importation of right-hand drive vehicles, as part of efforts to reduce road traffic accidents.
In its final assessment, the committee concluded that the use of converted Toyota Voxy vehicles for commercial passenger transport presents an unacceptable risk to road safety in Ghana.
“In our final determination, the Technical Working Group concludes that the Toyota Voxy vehicle, as currently configured through unregulated right-hand drive to left-hand drive conversion and deployed for commercial passenger transport beyond its design specifications, presents…
Meanwhile, Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority, Abraham Amaliba has assured of implementing the full recommendations of the committee.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Benjamin Sackey
