Deadly Northern New York Crashes Spur Bill Requiring Truck Side Guards

A bipartisan bill introduced by two U.S. senators would change truck safety standards to prevent crashes like the one that killed four people in northern New York this summer.

The law introduced by Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand and Republican Marco Rubio would require underride guards to prevent cars from slamming under tractor-trailers in a collision.

In July, two cars slid under a jackknifed milk tanker on Interstate 81 in Oswego County, killing all four occupants. Sen. Charles Schumer called for new safety standards when he met with co-workers and family members of the crash victims.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says side guards could prevent hundreds of deaths annually in the U.S.

The trucking industry supports other efforts to avoid crashes, such as automatic emergency braking and collision warning systems.