US FAA warned Americans against pointing Laser-light Displays toward Sky during Holiday Season

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The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) released a statement and said that intentionally pointing holiday laser light displays at the sky can not only harm pilots but it’s considered a federal crime. The aviation agency also urged anyone who is setting up laser-light displays to make sure their creations are aimed toward their home and not at the sky amid the holiday season. The statement said that the warning was issued in order to protect pilots who have reported being distracted and even temporarily blinded from such incidents every year. The FAA said, “The extremely concentrated beams of laser lights reach much farther than you might realize”.

The FAA also added, “You might not realize this, but a well-meaning attempt to spread holiday cheer has the potential to create a serious safety risk to pilots and passengers on airplanes that fly overhead. Point to be noted that certain high-powered lasers can completely incapacitate pilots who are trying to fly safely to their destinations. FAA said, “Anyone aiming their laser lights at the sky will be given the warning to adjust or turn them around. If they don’t oblige, they could face a civil penalty of up to $11,000 per violation”. The agency warned people in a video posted to the YouTube channel of the FAA.

The agency said in its posted video on FAA’s YouTube channel that people can also face up to five years in jail. The government agency works with law enforcement agencies to pursue civil and criminal penalties against individuals who purposely aim a laser at an aircraft. It is noteworthy that the FAA has imposed over $30,000 in civil penalties against individuals alleged of multiple laser incidents in previous cases. As of Nov. 22, there have been more than 8,500 laser strike reports this year alone. It marks the highest number of laser strike incidents since the FAA started tracking these statistics over a decade ago.