Accra: Road crashes have become a quiet national emergency, and a leading engineer says one overlooked culprit is rolling under our noses: illegally modified suspension systems on commercial Voxy vans.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Bright Atsu Sogbey, a Research Engineer at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, warned that the surge in fatalities was not just human error but also 'mechanical recklessness, regulatory lapses, and a culture of modification that puts looks and profit over safety.'
His warning came at the back of the National Road Safety Authority declaring the use of Toyota Voxy vehicles for long-distance commercial transport illegal as of April 2026 while private use remained legal, with these vans now restricted to intra-city travels only.
Key reasons for the declaration included safety hazards as local artisans often convert these vehicles from Right-Hand Drive (RHD) to Left-Hand Drive (LHD) using unregulated methods that compromise steering and braking systems, design limitations, high crash rates, and regulatory breaches.
For this ban, passengers were being advised not to patronise Voxy vans for inter-city commute while commercial registration of newly converted RHD to LHD had been suspended, with the police ordered to arrest and impound vehicles with private plates carrying commercial passengers.
Dr. Sogbey said at the centre of the road carnage were suspension systems alterations that throw vehicles off balance - often with fatal results. He explained a vehicle's suspension to be a calibrated system designed to keep tyres glued to the road, absorb shocks, and maintain stability at speed, with manufacturers setting a precise centre of gravity for safety.
However, when the suspension system is altered beyond manufacturer specifications, this balance is disrupted. The President of Africa Development Council mentioned the dangerous effects of altered suspension systems, including a shift in the centre of gravity, reduced stability at high speeds, uneven weight distribution, and accelerated wear and mechanical failure.
He noted that the Voxy van had increasingly become associated with unsafe modifications to maximise profit and/or enhance appearance. This practice has dire consequences, with reports of accidents involving such vehicles often pointing to loss of control, instability, and rollover incidents.
Dr. Sogbey called for immediate, nationwide action to ground all Voxy vans and similar commercial vehicles for rigorous inspection focused on suspension systems, stressing the move was preventive, not punitive.
He also recommended strict enforcement of manufacturer specifications, certification and monitoring of vehicle modifications, sanctions for non-compliance, and public education campaigns.
Dr. Sogbey emphasized that the fight against road carnage was not the responsibility of government alone but a shared duty, calling for the active participation of engineers, transport operators, regulatory authorities, and the public.
He concluded with a call to action, urging a shift from reactive lamentation to proactive prevention, emphasizing that every life lost on the roads is a tragedy that could have been avoided through adherence to safety standards and responsible engineering practices.