                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, January 23, 1996              TAG: 9601230284
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: METRO BRIEFS
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Short :   30 lines

ICE CAUSES RASH OF CRASHES

Today's forecast calls for early-morning temperatures to climb from the low- to mid-30s, marking a warmup from Monday's rush-hour conditions that led to more than 50 traffic accidents on ice-covered roads and highways.

State police spokeswoman Tammy Van Dame said most of Monday's accidents occurred between 5 a.m. and 10:20 a.m. on Route 44 and Interstate 264. There also were accidents on Interstates 64 and 664 on the Peninsula, she said.

No serious injuries were reported, Van Dame said.

Police also had to respond to a number of disabled vehicles, she said.

``We can only describe this. . . as a mess,'' Van Dame said Monday. ``Troopers worked back-to-back accidents. . . We were just swamped.''

Van Dame cautioned drivers to drive below the speed limit. Motorists also should watch out for hard-to-see ice on roads.

Van Dame said she hoped today's morning rush-hour would be calmer.

The mercury is expected to reach the low 50s with partly sunny skies by this afternoon.

KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT TRAFFIC by CNB