COLUMBIA, S.C. - A bill that cleared the Senate on Tuesday would clarify rules for investigating traffic accidents involving police.

The House bill would require investigations of crashes, not only when a police car is directly involved but also when it is indirectly involved. The investigation would be handled by a law enforcement agency other than one involved in the crash.

The legislation also sets rules for how investigations should be conducted. For example, accident investigators would be required to identify possible witnesses that may not have been involved in the wreck.

The legislation stems from a investigation by Forest Acres police in May 2003 after a fleeing suspect struck a car and killed a woman.