185K+ Vehicle Recalls and the Data Behind America's Transportation Systems

Every day, millions of Americans get behind the wheel, board a plane, or charge an electric vehicle — trusting that the systems around them are safe, inspected, and properly maintained. The data behind that trust exists in federal databases scattered across the FAA, NHTSA, DOE, and CPSC. DriveData.org brings it all together across 13 dedicated platforms covering everything from aircraft tail numbers to EV charging networks.

Vehicle Safety: Recalls and Ratings

The vehicle recalls database contains over 185,000 recall records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Every recall ever issued — from minor software glitches to critical safety defects affecting millions of vehicles — is searchable by make, model, year, and defect type.

This matters more than most people realize. NHTSA estimates that approximately 25% of recalled vehicles never get repaired. That means tens of millions of cars on American roads right now have unaddressed safety defects. Our platform makes it trivially easy to check whether your vehicle has any outstanding recalls and what steps to take.

Complementing the recall database is our car safety ratings directory, which covers 11,000 vehicles with crash test results, rollover ratings, and overall safety scores from the NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings program. For car buyers, this is essential comparison data — presented in a more accessible format than the government's own tools.

Aviation Data: Every Aircraft in the Sky

DriveData's aviation section draws from FAA databases to provide comprehensive information about every registered aircraft in the United States:

• Aircraft Tail Numbers — 306,000 registered aircraft with ownership, manufacturer, model, and registration details from the FAA Aircraft Registry
• Aircraft Reference — 92,000 aircraft type certificates providing detailed specifications for every certified aircraft model
• Aircraft Engine Reference — 4,000 engine type certificates covering every certified aircraft engine
• Repair Stations — 5,000 FAA-certified repair stations with their ratings and capabilities

Aviation enthusiasts use these databases to look up aircraft they spot. Journalists use them to trace aircraft ownership for investigative reporting. Mechanics and pilots use them as professional references. The data serves a surprisingly wide range of users — all from publicly available FAA records that were previously difficult to query.

The Electric Vehicle Transition

As America transitions to electric vehicles, charging infrastructure is a critical concern. The EV charging stations directory maps 97,000 stations from the Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Station Locator.

Each listing includes the station's location, connector types, network affiliation, access hours, and pricing model. EV owners can search by location to find nearby charging options, while researchers can analyze charging infrastructure density relative to population and EV registration rates. The data reveals significant disparities — urban areas are well-covered, while many rural stretches of highway remain charging deserts.

The fuel economy database rounds out the picture with 45,000 vehicle records from the EPA, covering MPG ratings, emissions data, and annual fuel costs for vehicles dating back decades. This historical perspective shows how dramatically fuel efficiency has improved — and how far we still have to go.

Training the Next Generation

DriveData also supports career development in transportation with directories covering training and education:

• Pilot Schools — 651 FAA-certified pilot training programs with location, certifications offered, and contact details
• Flight Training — additional flight training resources and programs
• Mechanics Schools — FAA-certified aviation maintenance technician schools

With the aviation industry facing a well-documented pilot shortage, making flight school information more accessible helps aspiring aviators find the right training program. The same applies to aviation mechanics, where demand consistently outpaces supply.

Consumer Product Safety

Beyond vehicles and aircraft, DriveData also tracks product safety recalls from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) — over 9,000 recall records covering everything from children's toys to household appliances. These recalls often receive less media attention than vehicle recalls but can be equally important for consumer safety.

Visit DriveData.org to search vehicle recalls, look up aircraft, find EV charging stations, or explore any of our 13 transportation data platforms.

DriveData is one of the transportation platforms built by TheDataProject.AI — turning federal safety and infrastructure data into tools everyone can use.