DEPEW, N.Y. — Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer called on Congress Tuesday to pass the ‘Stop Underrides Act of 2017.’

The legislation, which was introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Marco Rubio in December, would require new front and side underride guards on tractor trailers, and improved underride guards on the rear.

Schumer says he believes the proposed safety measure could have prevented the death of Edward "Eto" Torrez, the 64-year-old Elba man who was killed in the 75-car pileup on the I-90 on January 2.

"The roads were icy, a truck stopped short, a tractor trailer, to avoid a crash. Eto was behind the tractor trailer. He was unable to stop. Because the truck is higher than the car, the car went right under and killed Eto," Schumer said.

Schumer says there are hundreds of more examples of similar fatal crashes, including one in Oswego County last July where three EMTs and a doctor were killed after their car was pinned under a milk tanker.

The bill has also been introduced in the House.