Tour bus crash

SALT LAKE CITY -- A tour bus driver who caused a crash that killed three Japanese tourists last year was spared a lengthy prison term Friday when a judge sentenced him to less than a year in jail for his role in the wreck.

WASHINGTON -- Recent fatal accidents involving tour buses and interstate gas pipelines spurred a Senate committee on Thursday to order new safety rules.

New buses would have seat belts, stronger roofs and better windows to reduce the chance of death or injury in accidents under one of the bills. Also, physicals for drivers would have to be performed by certified medical personnel, and a tracking system would be created to make sure licenses are up to date and no unqualified drivers are allowed on the road.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.  -- Utah authorities say members of a popular Mexican music group are recovering after their tour bus was hit by a truck.

NEW YORK — Thirteen people died Saturday when a bus returning from a casino flipped onto its side on a major highway in the Bronx and was sliced in half by the support pole for a large sign, authorities said.

The driver, who survived, told police he lost control after being clipped by a tractor trailer. Police began a hunt for the truck, which did not stop after the crash, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said.

The wreck left a scene of carnage and closed the southbound side of Interstate-95 for hours while emergency workers attended to critically injured survivors and removed bodies.