IRVINE, Calif., (August 16, 2005) — Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU), the number one selling lift truck supplier in the United States, today announced no fatalities resulting from a lateral overturn have been reported on Toyota lift trucks equipped with Toyota’s industry-leading System of Active StabilityTM (SAS) since its introduction in 1999.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there have been 118 fatalities resulting from the overturn of a lift truck from 1999 to 2003 – which equates to 23 deaths per year. None of these lift trucks were equipped with Toyota’s exclusive System of Active StabilityTM.

Standard equipment on the majority of Toyota 7-Series lift trucks, SAS senses various factors that lead to lateral instability and potential lateral overturn. When those conditions are detected, SAS instantly engages the Swing Lock Cylinder to stabilize the rear axle, creating the lateral stability needed to help reduce the risk of tipovers.

“Our top priority is to help our customers maximize the safety of their employees while increasing productivity,” said Bob Bosworth, vice president of sales for TMHU. “By equipping our lift trucks with SAS, we provide our customers with industry-exclusive safety technology that has proven its value over the past five years.”

Toyota has more than 94,000 SAS-equipped lift trucks in the field, comprising more than eight percent of the entire U.S. counterbalanced lift truck population. In conjunction with mandatory operator training and an increase in the field population of SAS-equipped trucks, overturn fatalities across all brands have decreased by 13.6 percent since 1999.* In addition, there has been an overall 35.5 percent reduction industry wide in overturn, collision, loss of control and falls from a lift truck for the same period.*

“It’s clear SAS has provided our customers with an incredible benefit,” said Pat Huebel, National Training and Customer Center Operations Manager, who also oversees TMHU’s Operator Safety Training. “By helping reduce the likelihood of a lateral overturn, we are able to create a safer work environment for our customers and their employees.”

TMHU is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and offers a full line of high-quality lift trucks sold under the Toyota brand. Built on a reputation for excellence, Toyota is known for its quality, reliability and dependability. Most of the Toyota lift trucks sold in the United States are manufactured in Columbus, Ind.

Toyota’s commitment to excellence in customer service extends nationwide. Seventy authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers with a total of 186 dealership locations throughout the United States offer comprehensive customer service support, including one-stop shopping for both new and Certified Used lift trucks, parts, service and financing. For more information on TMHU, please visit www.toyotaforklift.com or call 1-800-226-0009.