Off-duty nurse helped to resuscitate man hit by SUV on Wednesday
Too many pedestrians are getting hit by cars on the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, and a nurse who worked to save a victim's life wants to see new safety measures.
She frequently drives the Lougheed on her way to work at a hospital outside of Maple Ridge, and on Wednesday morning, Oct. 1, just after 6 a.m., she came across an accident scene just west of Laity Street.
A man had been hit by an SUV, and was laying on the road. He had no pulse. The nurse and two other people worked hard doing CPR, to restore a heartbeat. She said one of the other people giving life-saving assistance appeared to be wearing scrubs, did effective chest compressions, and was likely also a health care provider.
"Thankfully, he (the patient) received very high quality CPR, which gave him the best chance," she said.
They worked to restore a heartbeat until paramedics took over, and the victim was transferred to hospital by ambulance in critical condition.
The nurse noted that the driver who hit the victim stopped at the scene, called 911, and helped to try and resuscitate the victim. The driver was "obviously very distraught."
"The driver's entire life has been impacted by this event too," said the nurse.
A pedestrian had been hit by a car not far from that accident just nine days earlier, on the morning of Sept. 22, and was also seriously injured.
There was a fatal pedestrian incident on Aug. 30, at approximately 11 p.m., in the 20400-block of Lougheed Hwy., near 203rd Street.
She would like to see improvements to make it safer, adding the first consideration should be lighting in poorly lit and dark stretches.
She wished to remain anonymous, but wanted to advocate for change.
"They need to make some sort of improvement."
Maple Ridge Mayor Dan Ruimy agreed there may be changes needed, and the city will consult with the Ridge Meadows RCMP, ICBC, and the provincial transportation ministry.
"Our hearts go out to those who might have been impacted, including the family of those people who have been hit," said the mayor.
He also applauded those with first aid skills who stop at accident scenes to render assistance before emergency responders arrive.
The mayor will ask ICBC and police to examine recent incidents, because "we don't have the whole story."
"Do we know if speed was a factor, or was it other factors?" he asked.
He agreed additional lighting may offer a solution. More traffic enforcement may be necessary, and anecdotally the mayor has witnessed people driving too fast "and blowing through red lights."
Ruimy noted the city has installed approximately 60 pedestrian activated flashing lights at many crosswalks in school zones and other high pedestrian traffic areas of the city. However, the city cannot add them on the Lougheed, or make other changes.
"Obviously it is a provincial highway, so we're limited as a city in what we can do there," he said.
He noted the route is slated for the addition of Bus Rapid Transit, so changes will be coming.