Bus that crashed, killing 8, had seatbelts only in first row

DALLAS (AP) — Officials investigating a charter bus crash that killed eight people and injured 44 on a rain-slicked South Texas highway said Monday that the vehicle had seat belts only in the first row.

NTSB investigators plan to analyze an electronic device aboard the bus that crashed to determine if it contains data that can provide details on what happened.

The company was fined about $2,000 by regulators in 2011 for violations involving periodic inspections and pre-employment drug testing of drivers, but had a "satisfactory" rating in May 2014 with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Efforts to require seat belts in older buses failed because retrofitting was deemed too difficult and expensive, said Shaun Kildare, director of research for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C.-based group that tracks bus crashes and highway safety laws.

The judgment against the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma came after court testimony indicated the Choctaw Nation had a contract with a private bus company to transport people to the casino.