As 2015 rolls in, we continue to review 2014 for the several auto and drug recalls announced throughout the year. According to a series of news reports, 2014 has been one of the most difficult years in recorded history for automakers.

In spite of the great volume of recalls, the industry received great news on January 5th. According to the reports, 2014 has also been the year of auto sales.

The tracking company Autodata indicated that at least 16.5 million new vehicles were sold n 2014. The 2014 number exceeds the number that belongs to the last record year for auto sales, 2006. Then, 16.94 million cars were sold throughout the year.

The greatest auto sales number of the past decade makes the record number of recalls make even more sense, after all, the more vehicles roaming in the streets, the more vehicles are susceptible to recalls.

Analysts have also indicated that one of the reasons behind the increase in the number of auto sales may have a lot to do with the fact that the economy in the United States is rebounding. A fact that may have induced Americans to purchase new vehicles at a faster rate in 2014. Cheap leases have also been mentioned as one of the reasons why so many new cars have been populating the roads.

Some of the most popular models include SUVs, especially smaller ones. According to experts, consumers have been flocking to that kind of vehicle for the model’s utility and for the new luxury segments.

While General Motors was one of the companies that issued recalls more often than others, it was also the number one seller of the year. GM’s sales for 2014 were up 5 percent from last year. At least seven GM models have set records for annual sales in 2014 as well. Other companies that have also seen a major increase in sales are Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota.

Many experts believe that consumers are not as concerned about the recall phenomenon as they should. Oftentimes, consumers flock to dealers and look into purchasing used vehicles without ever asking salesmen whether the car is recall-free. Despite the sales growth, automakers continue to develop vehicles that unfortunately continue to expose consumers to accident risks. Hopefully, automakers will use the regained confidence to develop better procedures so that consumers are safer than ever in their new vehicles.

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