People should not be so addicted to their cell phones.

In my opinion, people are far too attached to their phones, and they should use them properly. If people use them responsibly, then there would be so many more benefits, such as better communication skills, a smaller number of injuries, and much more. First of all, people have become far too dependent on their phones. I"m sure we all know that the phone can be so convenient, and it has a large range of possibilities; however, relying on our phones for so many things can become a bad habit. If we use our phones for almost everything, our brains start to think that without our phones, we won"t be able to do anything else. For example, when the Internet is down, work is pretty much over for the day. People use the Web as if it"s the only thing possible. When we do research, the first thing we do is go to Google and search our question. Only 6% of students in the States think about books when it comes to doing a project, or even homework. Also, when we want to communicate with someone, the first thing we do is text or call them, even if they"re in the same place. The amount of online shopping has also been increasing. Before, many people liked to go to a large mall and buy their items - now people prefer buying things online. Have we really gotten to a point where we don"t even want to have some free time with our friends, but instead, we want just want to stay at home to complete our activities? In my opinion, all of those examples are just leading to laziness, and the cell phone is definitely the cause! Secondly, there has been many online debates about whether the cell phone has improved our communication skills or not. In my opinion, the cell phone hasn"t helped. We all live in a world where communication is now mostly transferred using our modern technology. When you go outside, pretty much everyone is texting, tweeting, emailing, and all sorts of other possibilities that can be done on a cell phone. It"s fairly hard to go somewhere without seeing someone trying to connect to the Internet. Obviously, our new form of talking to someone online can be such a sophisticated and popular way of communicating; yet it can have many disadvantages too. When we're talking or messaging through our cell phones, we don't see each other face to face, and sometimes things can be misinterpreted. When some subjects are misunderstood, it might even lead to drama, or potentially friendship problems. Many people who are extremely addicted to their cell phones only message others, and they prefer messaging over phoning, or having quality "face time". According to a new study, 31% of American adults prefer texting over calling. Overall, people"s communication skills have deteriorated. Lastly, the cell phone has become a major distraction. Of course, we all know the famous rule about not texting while driving. 24% of people still text while driving. There have been many car accidents. 54% of people check their phones while lying in bed. 39% of people even check their phones in the washroom! No wonder people end up staying in there for 2 hours! All these crazy statistics can translate into serious injuries. People can trip, or bump into something on the streets while checking their phones. A couple of months ago, there was a shocking news article posted online. It explained a rule in a city in China. City officials separated the sidewalk into two halves: one for people with cell phones, and one for people without. In my opinion, the rule can"t work. In fact, it"s a terrible solution. But if people use their phones properly, then the government wouldn"t have to come up with awkward solutions like that. In New Jersey, officials had to ban walking and texting on the streets, and if you were caught doing that, you would receive a $85 ticket! Have we really gotten to a point where we just can"t stop looking at our phones, and the governments has to come up with rules like that? Apparently, the most serious injuries can actually come from being distracted. People can accidentally walk onto the road, bump into posts, or even fall off bridges. All of these have happened before, and something needs to be done! Our use of this technological marvel has a dark side... Though it's not the brightest truth to admit, the cell phone only provides benefits if we use it properly. If we"re so addicted to it, all sorts of problems start arising, and that goes for other things as well, such as the computer, or other social media. They were made to make life easier, but remember that there once was life without cell phones. It is a global issue, and I encourage everyone to pay attention to it. So the next time you use your cell phone, just remember that you are holding a piece of magical equipment, but also a huge troublemaker, so make sure the change starts now!