Slippery roads cause string of accidents

25 January 2006

AMSTERDAM — Icy conditions caused havoc on roads in the Netherlands on Wednesday morning. Insurance companies were notified of 200 car accidents by 10am.

There were dozens of accidents in the north and east, with further reports of icy conditions in the centre of the country.

The police in the northern province of Groningen recorded 50 collisions before 9am. There were dozens of similar accidents in Drenthe, a police spokesperson said. Bus services in the city of Zwolle were cancelled due to the treacherous road conditions.

Roads in North Holland and Utrecht Provinces also became very slippery as the icy conditions slowly moved southwards due to rain showers. There were tens of minor accidents in the northernmost part of North Holland province.

“Not only involving the traffic, but also pedestrians and cyclists who lost their grip,” the police said.

The problems started shortly after 7am when rain water began to freeze on the frozen road surface. The rain stopped by 9am.

Separately, a motorist died in a collision with a delivery van on the A58 in Zeeland Province at about 2am in the morning. The victim’s vehicle was travelling against the direction of the traffic. The two occupants of the van were admitted to hospital with injuries.

Subject: Dutch news