Man, 76, dies after being hit by truck

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 76-year-old man died Tuesday after being hit by a pickup truck in St. Nicholas, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

Police were called to 2500 Atlantic Boulevard, near White Avenue, just before noon.

They said James Evans III was trying to cross Atlantic from the south to the north and made it to the westbound right lane when he was struck by the pickup. Police said he was not in a crosswalk.

Evans was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Police said they're still investigating what happened.

The accident comes one day after the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a new push for people to stay alert to put a stop to the rise in pedestrians killed in traffic accidents over the last two years.

"Pedestrians and drivers who do not obey the laws and traffic signals consistently put themselves at risk," said David Strickland, an administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Strickland said there are important things for pedestrians to remember: keep alert and avoid distractions, never assume a driver sees you, and avoid alcohol impairment.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says on average a pedestrian is killed every two hours on U.S. roads. He adds that everyone needs to be more alert because they are all pedestrians.

"This is something that impacts all of us," Foxx said. "Whether you are walking to your car from the office, taking a morning jog, or crossing the street to say hello to your neighbor, at some point in the day we are all pedestrians."