At least 15 people died and 40 were injured Sunday when a bus crashed in the Brazilian resort town of Paraty, state officials told AFP.The accident happened on a highway linking Paraty, in Rio de Janeiro state, with the coastal area of Trinidade, a fire department spokesman said. Rescue workers and crash investigators were at the scene.Local media reported the crash took place on a winding road on a descent known in Portuguese as "God Help Me Hill."Brazilians were enjoying a long holiday weekend for Independence Day which is Monday. That meant more people were on the roads to take advantage of a three-day getaway to the beach.Paraty, a Portuguese colonial-era town with a population of around 40,000, is famous for its charming architecture and idyllic environment.It sits on the border of Brazil`s two most populous states, Rio and Sao Paulo. It also is popular with foreign visitors.About 43,000 people die each year on Brazil`s roads. Before the country`s economic boom cooled, accidents surged by 24 percent between 2002-2012 and about 10,000 new cars took to the roads each day.In March, 54 people were killed when a bus taking them to a religious event plunged off a cliff in the southern state of Santa Catarina.