The Technical Working Committee of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has declared as illegal, the use of Toyota Voxy vehicles for commercial transport purposes, warning that their widespread operation poses a serious threat to road safety and human life.

According to the committee, the importation and subsequent conversion of the vehicles are not only unlawful but are often carried out by unauthorised practitioners, resulting in significant safety risks for passengers and other road users.

Presenting the committee's final investigative report to the Director-General of the Authority on Wednesday, April 8, Chairman of the committee, Dr. Godwin Kafui Ayetor, described the situation as deeply troubling and called for urgent regulatory intervention.

He stressed that the Toyota Voxy is fundamentally unsuitable for commercial passenger transport.

“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.

Dr. Ayetor explained that the design of the vehicle 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.

The committee further observed that the conversion process typically involves major structural modifications, including suspension alterations and tyre replacements.

“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.

According to him, these modifications place excessive strain on the vehicle, compromising its structural integrity and overall safety, particularly during long-distance travel.

Dr. Ayetor also pointed to what he described as a broader regulatory breakdown contributing to the proliferation of such vehicles in the country.

“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.

He further revealed that the committee is recommending strict enforcement of existing 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 Toyota Voxy, as currently configured and used for commercial transport, presents an unacceptable safety risk.

“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 an unacceptable risk to road safety in Ghana.”

Dr. Ayetor added that the risk is worsened by systemic failures that have allowed the unchecked entry and use of such vehicles.

“We have allowed thousands of unlawfully imported vehicles to enter the country, be modified without standards by uncertified practitioners, registered without proper testing and inspection, and operated commercially despite private registration in some cases.”

Dr. Ayetor stated that the committee had recommended strict enforcement of laws prohibiting the importation of right-hand drive vehicles; measures to prevent the misuse of private vehicles for commercial purposes; limiting the use of commercial Toyota Voxy vehicles to intra-city operations, issuing an immediate public advisory on the status of these vehicles and right-hand drive conversions; and ceasing the registration of converted vehicles for commercial use.