TEXAS, USA — The Federal Aviation Administration says Texas leads the nation in air laser strikes.
Nationwide, new data from the FAA shows that the number of reported strikes jumped by 41 percent in 2021.
The data also says that Texas leads the nation in reported incidents along with California and Florida.
The rise in strikes prompted the FAA to plea for people to stop aiming handheld laser pointers at planes.
Laser strikes could be a matter of life and death as it poses a safety threat to pilots and violates federal law.
Data collected from the FAA to start 2022 also shows that incidents are on pace to break last year's record.
If you're caught intentionally aiming a laser at an aircraft, you could face jail time and some serious fines.
The FAA says it's closely working with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to pursue civil and criminal penalties against those who purposely aim lasers at an aircraft.