2010 continues to be a year to forget for Toyota, as it has announced yet another voluntary recall for a small production run of 2010 Tacomas.

The recall, which was announced last week, will apply to 8,000 Tacoma 4WD trucks because of a component in their front drive shafts that may contain cracks created during the manufacturing process. If the cracks worsen, there is an increased chance that the drive shaft could separate from the joint.

Consumers are urged to go to a Toyota dealership for a 10-minute inspection that will determine whether the drive shaft needs replacement. No other Toyota vehicles are said to be affected by recall.

The latest recall preceded a report from the Associated Press on Monday that attributed 34 alleged deaths to cases of sudden acceleration in a number of its vehicles since 2000, according to government data.

For those who own a recalled Toyota vehicle, but may face some form of financial restraint that keeps them from getting their car fixed, taking out a payday loan may be able to cover the momentary costs and ensure that the car gets the servicing it needs.

Residents who live in New Mexico’’s Bernalillo County may be paying more for their driving infractions in the near future, as a ticket surcharge is being proposed to help bring in more money for the county.

The proposal, which has already been passed by the state’’s House of Representatives, would tack on a $10 surcharge to all speeding and traffic violation fines in order to pay for jailhouse costs to prevent overcrowding.

"It’’s real tough. It’’s supposed to house 2,100 inmates a night, on any given Sunday there’’s about 2,500- 2,700 people," Moe Maestas, a Democratic legislator representing Albuquerque told local NBC affiliate KOB.com. "We really need to get a handle on the cost of the jail, this will help them a little bit."

Other attempts at handing out tickets across the state of New Mexico have been met with mixed results. The installation of red light cameras in Las Cruces in March 2009 was meant to catch and deter drivers attempting to run through lights, but instead has led to an 18 percent increase in accidents, TheNewspaper.com reported.

For drivers who depend on their vehicles for work and cannot afford to lose their license, but also do not have the funding to pay off tickets they owe and risk additional penalties, a payday loan may enable them to pay off the tickets without incurring additional fines.

Toyota Motor Sales is recalling more than 5 million cars after discoveries that certain vehicles may have defective brake pedals stick and putting passengers at risk.

On January 21, Toyota announced the recall and suspension of sales of eight different models due to a CTS accelerator pad that was found to stick or release slowly in some cases.

While the initial recall was said to only affect 2.3 million vehicles, by Thursday that figure had expanded to 5.3 million as additional car models were found to be defective as well.

In total, CNN reported that the models affected by the recall are: 2009-2010 RAV4, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, certain 2007-2010 Camrys, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2008-2010 Sequoia, 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Venza, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe.

While Toyota has been proactive in fixing the problem affecting their vehicles through the recall, numerous other issues can result in cars with problems staying on the road if a car company believes it is not worth a recall.

If you have a vehicle with a defect that has the potential to be dangerous but is not being recalled by the dealer, taking out a payday loan to get the problem fixed may be a simple way to avoid a deadly situation.

As smartphones become more common across the country, so does the desire for many to use them while behind the wheel. However, distracted driving is being singled out as an increasing danger on the roads that nonprofit groups have dedicated themselves to stopping.

According to the website of FocusDriven, an awareness group advocating for cell phone-free driving, drivers who take to their cell phone were four time more likely to become involved in a car accident.

Additionally, the website referenced a recent simulator study that found those using cell phones while behind the wheel had a slower reaction time than drivers with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent, the legal limit.

Despite the danger, the website also referenced a poll that found 81 percent of the public saying they had talked on a cell phone while driving.

The nonprofit organization, which grew out of the Distracted Driving Summit in Washington D.C. last September, was formally announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Tuesday as the first national nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

While steps are being taken to make the roads safer by eliminating distracted driving, the daily danger is still there for those who have long commutes to and from their job every day. If one falls victim to a distracted driver and needs funding to quickly repair a car for work, a payday loan may be able to fund the repairs in a pinch.

A new study has revealed that using a cell phone while driving accounts for more than one-quarter of all accidents on the road every year.

According to a study released by the National Safety Council on Tuesday, 28 percent of all accidents each year – or 1.6 million – are caused by drivers using their phones to talk or text. Of those accidents, 1.4 million of them were attributed to talking on the phone, while 200,000 were blamed on texting.

"We know that cell phone use is a very risky distraction and texting is even higher risk. We now know that cell phone use causes many more crashes than texting," said NSC president & CEO Janet Froetscher.

The study will likely underscore the growing number of interest groups that have been formed in recent months to push for more stringent laws on cell phone usage by drivers.

Whether due to talking on the phone, texting, or because of an unrelated a distraction outside the vehicle, the risk of getting into a car accident is a very real problem that many workers face when commuting to and from work every day.

For those who fall victim to an accident on the road and need their car in order for work but cannot afford the repair costs, payday loans may be able to get the cash in hand to get the vehicle fixed quickly.

New Yorkers hoping for some leniency before being hit with an expensive parking ticket are out of luck, as Mayor Michael Bloomberg has put the kibosh on a proposal giving motorists a 5-minute period of extra time before getting ticketed.

"While characterized as a ”grace period” to benefit drivers who are rushing to their vehicles, this universal extension of time for drivers would have the practical effect of impeding traffic flow and disrupting street cleaning operations," Bloomberg said of his decision to reject the measure.

He added that allowing a “grace period” before ticketing would “have a negative impact on the quality of life for all city residents” while creating confusion amid its difficulty to enforce.

According to the city’s Department of Finance, parking fees ranged from $26 for using an expire meter to $115 for blocking a fire hydrant.

For drivers in the Big Apple who use their car within city lines on a daily basis and accrue a number of tickets, missing payment dates and facing further fees and court dates could prove detrimental to their bank account and driver’s license.

However, paying off the tickets with a payday loan could avoid a great deal of hassle while keeping one out of debt and free of facing unexpected charges down the road.

A notable rise in the number of teenagers who are text messaging behind the wheel may also be increasing the likelihood of auto accidents that could leave one’’s car in need of urgent repair.

According to a recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 26 percent of American teenagers between the ages of 12-17 admitted that they have texted while behind the wheel of a car, while 48 percent say they have been in a car where the driver has been texting.

Referencing the report, the Insurance Information Institute said that texting-while-driving was an increasing danger for motorists, and added that it was only the latest distraction facing teens behind the wheel – joining other activities such as eating or talking on their cell phones.

"Even the best teenage drivers don”t have the judgment that comes from experience," said Michal Barry, the institute’’s vice president of media relations. "It affects their recognition of, and response to, hazardous situations and results in dangerous practices such as speeding and tailgating."

Having a teenager behind the wheel may lead to an eventual accident that leaves the car inoperable and in need of repairs so it can run properly. In cases such as these, getting fast cash through a payday loan to complete repairs as quickly as possible may be a viable option for those who rely on their cars for their profession.

While families are enjoying themselves as they celebrate the holidays in the coming weeks, a new study suggests that their vehicles may be at an increased risk of getting stolen.

According to data culled in 2008 by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a vehicle was stolen by a thief once every 33 seconds, resulting in an average of 2,650 per day. However, holidays seemed to bring out more thieves looking to steal vehicles, as data showed four major holidays – President’’s Day, Halloween, Labor Day, and New Year’’s Day – saw above average amounts of cars being stolen.

"We know that thieves never miss an opportunity to make a quick buck by stealing a car," said Joe Wehrle, president and CEO of NICB. "They work weekends, nights and holidays and ironically, they are particularly busy on New Year’’s Day and Labor Day."

New Year’’s Day in 2008 had 3,017 reported thefts to the NCIC, followed by Labor Day with 2,847. A potential reason for the increased amount of thefts during those days may lie in the amount of house parties that often take place during the days that leave many unattended cars parked close together on private roads and driveways.

If one falls victim to a car thief and has a vehicle stolen that is needed by them to get to work and perform their duties, payday loans may be able to help secure the money needed to get a replacement vehicle on such short notice.

For those who depend on the daily use of their vehicle for their profession, the winter months – and specifically the holiday season – can take a heavy toll on a car that could wear it down and leave it unable to perform.

However, in order to prevent such a fate for their vehicle, those who are tight in funds may consider using payday loans to cover needed repairs that could "weatherproof" their vehicle for the season and prevent it from breaking down.

According to AAA, 1.3 million vehicles are going to break down and become stranded on American roads between December 19 and January 3 as the holiday season reaches its peak. Among the ailments the motor service expects it will be dealing with the most are general wear-and-tear issues such as punctured tires, dead batteries, or running low on various motor fluids.

However, by being proactive in getting one’’s vehicle checked and repaired where needed, such breakdowns may be able to be avoided.
"Many motorists can avoid roadside trouble with a little preventive maintenance and careful driving," said Marshall L. Doney, AAA Automotive vice president. "Having your vehicle properly maintained and prepared for winter weather will help ensure it gets you to your destination safely."

AAA stated in a separate report that 77.7 million families would be taking to the road to travel this holiday season, 3.4 million more that did so in 2008.

Motorists in Indianapolis may be in for a tough financial lesson the next time they try to challenge traffic or parking tickets, as the city has approved a new plan that can charge up to $2,500 in additional fees if a ticket is challenged in court.

The plan is part of the city’’s attempt to crack down on motorists who do not pay their citations on time that will bring in up to $520,000 in revenue. However, some have objected to the plan, saying it unfairly penalizes those who may be short on cash and looking to get out of paying an expensive and unfair ticket.

"The deck is stacked against the motorist," lawyer Paul K. Ogden wrote in a post at TheNewspaper.com, a website that covers automotive news. "To penalize that person for seeking justice seems wrong."

He added that while he understood the state’’s desire to minimize the amount of challenges with "baseless" claims, that people who have legitimate defenses against paying for an unfair ticket would be discouraged from appealing as well.

For cash-strapped residents of Indianapolis, or any other town or city that implements similarly large fines if they attempt to challenge a parking or traffic ticket, it may be more financially sound to simply pay the initial ticket fee by any means necessary.

If one’’s finances are tight, taking out a payday loan to cover the expense may allay any fears of facing additional charges that one would not be able to afford.