NRSA sets up expert committee to probe Toyota Voxy crash surge

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has constituted a technical working committee to investigate the rising number of road crashes involving Toyota Voxy vehicles being used for commercial transport.

The move follows a sharp increase in road traffic fatalities nationwide, with 2,949 deaths recorded in 2025, the highest annual toll in the past 35 years.

Speaking at the inauguration of the committee, NRSA Director-General Abraham Amaliba described the frequent involvement of Toyota Voxy vehicles in recent crashes as deeply troubling, noting that the trend demanded urgent and evidence-based intervention.

“The issue of road crashes is like a red-hot potato that must be dealt with,” Mr Amaliba said, adding that the committee has one month to complete its work and submit a report.

The committee is chaired by Dr Godwin Kafui Ayetor, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Its membership draws expertise from several key state and non-state institutions, including the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC), the NRSA, Toyota Ghana, and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT).

Among its key tasks, the committee will:

• Assess whether the conversion of Toyota Voxy vehicles from right-hand drive to left-hand drive contributes to crashes
• Determine the suitability of the vehicles for commercial passenger use on Ghana’s roads
• Analyse crash data and road safety trends involving the model
• Propose practical recommendations to improve safety and reduce fatalities

Mr Amaliba assured the public that the findings would not be suppressed.

“We will not cover up the findings of this report. It is of interest to the people of Ghana, and they must know,” he stressed.

He further emphasised that road crash statistics represent real human lives lost, noting that annual fatalities now exceed deaths recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet road safety does not receive the same national urgency.

The NRSA Director-General also pointed to poor attitudes among road users as a contributing factor, citing the tolerance of unroadworthy vehicles and pressure from some passengers who encourage speeding.

For his part, Dr Ayetor pledged the committee’s full commitment to its mandate.

“The diversity and depth of expertise on this committee will ensure quality, objective work in the national interest,” he said.

The NRSA says it is prepared to implement the committee’s recommendations in full as part of broader efforts to curb the growing carnage on Ghana’s roads.