Bicycle Coalition of Maine
Media Contact: Andrew Zarro
P: 207-623-4511
E: press@bikemaine.org
Durham Man Struck and Killed While Crossing Street to Check Mailbox: Critical Call for Road Safety Reform
(Durham, ME) November 19, 2025 — An 85‑year‑old Durham resident, Peter Lowe, was fatally struck by a car while crossing Royalsborough Road (Route 136) at Smith Farm Road to retrieve his mail shortly after 5:00 p.m. The vehicle involved was a 2019 Ford Escape driven by a 49‑year‑old woman from Freeport.
This heartbreaking incident underscores the unacceptable risks pedestrians face even in quiet residential settings and on routine tasks like checking the mailbox. The Bicycle Coalition of Maine extends its deepest condolences to Mr. Lowe’s family, the Durham community, and all who knew him.
This tragedy is not isolated. It is part of a statewide pattern of endangering those walking and biking. As of this year, Maine has already seen 210 pedestrian‑involved crashes, including 20 fatalities. These are not statistics but human lives lost.
“The fact that an elderly man walking to his mailbox could be killed is intolerable and preventable,” said Andrew Zarro, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. “Our roads should allow people to walk to their mailbox or ride a bike without fear of death. We need every Maine town to adopt Vision Zero as a guiding principle immediately.”
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is calling on the State of Maine and all municipalities, including Durham, to urgently commit to safer street design, improved visibility, pedestrian‑friendly infrastructure, and systematic crash data collection and analysis. The Coalition is ready to work with local officials, law enforcement, and community members to ensure that no more Mainers lose their life while walking.
For more information or to support BCM’s work, visit www.bikemaine.org.
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The Bicycle Coalition of Maine works to make Maine a better and safer place to bike and walk. Founded in 1992, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine has grown into the leading bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group in the state. The Coalition believes all Mainers should have access to bikes and bike education, and we envision a future where Maine’s roads, public ways, and trails are safe and accessible, resulting in cleaner travel options, improved health, and stronger economic benefits for Maine communities.