Picture this: a busy warehouse, running on tight deadlines. An experienced forklift operator, fatigued after a long shift, turns a corner too quickly. A pedestrian steps into the aisle. In seconds, a normal workday turns into an emergency: serious injuries, damaged goods, and halted operations.

Could it have been prevented? What if there was a smarter way to protect both operators and pedestrians?

Forklift accidents are alarmingly common and costly. Industry data shows that 90% of forklifts will be involved in an accident at some point, with 11% of forklifts in larger fleets involved in incidents each year.

In the U.S. each year, forklifts are involved in an estimated 35,000 serious injuries, 62,000 non-serious injuries, and 67 fatalities (2023). The transportation and warehousing industry has one of the highest workplace fatality rates, second only to construction. The financial burden is significant: a single injury can cost $42,000 in direct expenses, while total costs, including downtime, damaged equipment, and lost productivity, can easily exceed $150,000. OSHA fines add to the toll, with penalties reaching $16,550 per violation under 2025 guidelines.

The operational impact is equally disruptive: injured workers miss an average of 16 days, and 40% are out for over a month. Replacing just one team member can cost $4,000 and take 24 days—not including the time it takes for them to get fully up to speed.

How can you proactively prevent these costly, dangerous, and operationally-disruptive incidents?

The answer starts with smarter, data-driven safety measures: SmarTruck.

With forklift accidents accounting for tens of thousands of injuries, millions in costs, and serious operational disruption every year, prevention is not just ideal, it’s essential. That’s where SmarTruck comes in: an intelligent safety solution built to help warehouse operators proactively mitigate risk before accidents occur.

SmarTruck integrates a suite of advanced technologies designed specifically for high-traffic, high-risk industrial environments:

• Proactive Collision Prevention: Using proactive, sensor-based monitoring, SmarTruck anticipates potential collision scenarios before they occur—delivering real-time alerts that allow operators to react in time to avoid incidents. Unlike systems that only detect impacts after they happen, SmarTruck is built to prevent the types of accidents that lead to over 35,000 serious forklift-related injuries each year.
• Operator Authentication & Permissions: Unauthorized or unqualified forklift operation is a common root cause of accidents, especially in environments where multiple shifts or contractors are involved. SmarTruck ensures only certified, authorized personnel can operate equipment – helping prevent incidents tied to operator error, fatigue, or inadequate training.
• Pedestrian Detection Systems: Nearly 20% of forklift-related fatalities involve pedestrians. SmarTruck’s pedestrian detection technology monitors blind spots, intersections, and shared pathways to identify potential hazards – reducing the risk of collisions in crowded or dynamic areas.

Together, these technologies create a safety-first infrastructure that enables warehouses and distribution centers to:

• Reduce the frequency and severity of forklift-related accidents
• Avoid costly downtime and OSHA penalties
• Protect employees, improve morale, and retain skilled workers
• Maintain operational efficiency even in high-pressure environments

Make safety a standard, not an afterthought.

SmarTruck doesn’t just respond to incidents, it helps prevent them entirely. It turns safety from a compliance checkbox into a strategic advantage.

The reality is clear: with the high cost of injuries, lost productivity, fines, and turnover, the price of inaction far exceeds the investment in proactive safety. Forklift accidents are preventable and SmarTruck is purpose-built to help you take control before the next near-miss becomes something worse.
Contact us today to learn how SmarTruck can elevate your warehouse safety strategy and protect what matters most.