Many people may consider this to be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be a precarious one for pilots.
That’s why the Federal Aviation Administration is warning people about the hazards of holiday laser lights and urging decorators to keep the lights pointed down on their houses or the ground, and not up in the sky.
According to the FAA, the laser lights reach much farther than many people realize and incidents of laser-strike incidents against aircraft have been increasing each year.
If a person intentionally aims a laser at an aircraft, they’re violating federal law and could face civil and criminal penalties including hefty fines.
If your holiday light display inadvertently affects pilots, you’ll be asked to adjust them or turn them off, the FAA said. If you don’t, you could be charged.