Icy roads in northern Netherlands cause traffic chaos

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Dutch authorities are warning motorists in the north of the country not to take to the roads as ice and freezing rain are creating treacherous driving conditions. Dozens of accidents have been reported.

The government's roads and waterways agency tweeted that the northeastern half of the country was affected by ice. The agency's advice in a tweet Wednesday was simple: "Don't use the roads."

Drivers who ignored the advice faced long delays as cars and trucks slid off roads or collided. The Dutch Traffic Information Service reported at least 50 accidents in the worst-affected areas, though there were no reports of serious injuries.

With many schools in the region closed, some children made the most of the conditions by using pathways and roads as impromptu ice skating rinks.