“Hang Up and Drive”

You see it every day, especially in freeway traffic. A car is weaving back and forth, speeding up, then
slowing down, or suddenly stopping. No, it's not a drunk driver. It's a cell phone driver. Cell phones are used
everywhere, but they are a dangerous distraction to drivers and should be prohibited on the road.
The New England Journal of Medicine reported that "motorists using a cell phone were four times more
likely to have an accident than those using a phone." The major problem is that the driver is not focused on the
road and conversation. Cell phone drivers are very unpredictable; they weave, tailgate, drive too fast or too
slow, make improper turns, run red lights, and even stop at green ones. It's not only annoying; it's hazardous.
Cell phone-related accidents include rear-ending vehicles, running off a road, crashing into trees, fences, and
buildings flipping over; and having head-on collisions. Many of these accidents result in fatalities. In October at
the California Traffic safety Summit, experts testified that “cell phones used by drivers lead to at least 1,000
deaths per year in California”. These are the same problems that occur with drunk driving, which is strictly
outlawed and harshly enforced. For the same reasons, California needs laws that restrict the use of cell phones
in cars.
Until we take action to pass new laws, drivers at least need to be more responsible when using cell phones.
The American Automobile Association recommends that drivers pull off the road before using a cell phone,
have a passenger use it for them, or use voice mail to answer calls. Another suggestion is to keep the phone off
while moving or simply not use it in the car. Before using a cell phone, drivers should think to themselves, "Is
this call that important? ”Cellphones can be a vital link in emergencies, but drivers need to use them wisely.
As professional NASCAR racer, John Andretti says, "Driving safely is your first responsibility," The best
road to safety is just to hang up and drive.

Ma. Fe Garcia-Eusebio and Perla A. Zotomayor, Ed. D, Rebecca de Lemos-Mendoza Ed. D English Essential VI (LM) (Worktext in Language and
Reading), Rex Bookstore, Manila, Philippines, Revised Edition pp.209
Source-Jessie, [Link]

Directions: Let us go back to the article that you have read. Let us identify the structure in the article.

1. In what structure did we persuade the reader to take action?

2. What do you call the second part of the paragraph?

3. Which structure grabbed the reader's attention?

NOTE: Use separate paper for the SQ3R.