NHTSA report says GM, Honda recalls are biggest in history.

USA Today (3/3, Healey, 10.32M) reports that “two of the biggest auto recalls in history took place last year” according to the NHTSA summary of recall activity, referencing GM’s 5.8 million vehicle recall for faulty ignition switches and Honda’s 5.39 million vehicle recall for defective airbags. Fifty-seven deaths are linked to the GM defect thus so far, and could rise as more claims are evaluated, while the Honda defect is linked to five deaths. The GM recall “provoked federal fins, lawsuits, government investigations, an embarrassingly candid internal probe at the automaker, Senate and House subcommittee hearings and an overhaul of how GM regards safety concerns.” The AP (3/3) reports that the two recalls make up “more than half of the record 64 million vehicles recalled last year.”