A new law adopted in the UK will send offenders for up to five years in jail. The Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Bill expands the types of transport which are covered to include trains, buses, boats and hovercraft. National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for lasers, Commander Simon Bray, said shining a laser at an aircraft or another moving vehicle is “deeply irresponsible and dangerous” and can lead to catastrophic incidents.
Laser attack to an aircraft
The new laws will make it easier to prosecute offenders by removing the need to prove they intended to endanger a vehicle. It will be an offence to dazzle or distract the operator of a vehicle either deliberately or if reasonable precautions to avoid doing so are not taken. The first laser attack on an aircraft was reported in 2004 and since 2011 there have been around 1,500 incidents in the UK each year. Under the new law, there is hope that a clear message was sent to perpetrators to understand laser attacks are a crime and serious consequences will follow.
