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Neighbors raise concerns over safety on Beach Boulevard after pedestrian struck

A Jacksonville man is recovering after he was hit by a car while trying to cross Beach Boulevard near Hodges Thursday night.

Photos: Pedestrian critically hurt after hit by car on Beach Boulevard

That stretch of Beach Bvld. sees a high number of crashes involving pedestrians, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

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Action New Jax spoke to neighbors who have a message for drivers to slow down.

Damien Jackson has lived along Beach Boulevard for three years.

On Friday morning, he learned a 57-year-old George Allen Ray was hit by a car while trying to cross Beach Boulevard near Hodges.

FHP said he wasn’t in a crosswalk.

“Pedestrians got to be cautious, they can’t assume that people in cars are going to see them,” said Jackson.

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Just 2 miles from where it happened is a flashing sign alerting drivers of the high risk crash area.

In January Action News Jax told you about a $32,000 grant  FDOT is using too target pedestrian and cyclist safety on four stretches of crash-prone roads.

Those roads include Edgewood Avenue, University Boulevard West, 103rd, and Beach Boulevard.

The grant also pays for JSO officers to help educate pedestrian and bike riders now through May.

Jackson believes part of the problem is that most drivers seem to be in a rush.

“Everybody is trying to get somewhere and they’re not thinking about the next person. It looks like you know speeding and cutting people off,” said Jackson.

We looked up the number of crashes in Duval County over the last three months and found that, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there have been over 100 crashes involving pedestrians.

Out of those crashes 10 people were killed.