When I was a kid, I was set loose upon the neighborhood with a friend or two to go door to door demanding food. It was awesome; it felt like a huge inversion of the social order I had been so thoroughly taught- I was out after dark, I was talking to strangers,
I was eating candy from people I didn’t know under threat of damaging their property.

However, parents are generally more careful of their children these days, and door-to-door Trick-or-Treating may be going extinct. Out of every danger that’s been presented with Trick-or-Treating, one is the deadliest of all.

It’s Not Tampered Candy

There has only ever been one confirmed case of tampered candy. It happened in Texas, and it was the child’s own parent who was trying to cash in life insurance on the child. Sadly, the child did die from the poisoning, but the father was convicted, sentenced to death, and later executed. You can read more if you like: The Truth Behind Halloween Candy Tampering Myths.

That said, it certainly doesn’t hurt to check your child’s candy before allowing them to eat it, especially if they have allergies or are young enough to choke on certain types of candy.

It’s Not Satanic Cults Or Child Abductions

While children have sadly been abducted on Halloween, it is statistically the same as any other day, according to studies on the subject:

Rates did not differ from expectation, no increased rate on or just before Halloween was found, and Halloween incidents did not evidence unusual case characteristics. 

In other words, kids are not being snatched up for ritual purposes, but a child(ren) alone are, of course, more vulnerable to horrible people. This is why it is better to go along with your kids while they trick-or-treat, or at least hang close by. You can also check your neighborhood for addresses associated with sex offenders; read more here: How To Check Registered Sex Offenders In Lubbock, Texas

It’s 100% Vehicles

The type of child injury and death that is (much) statistically higher than any other day is children getting struck by vehicles. This is very much a two-way problem, too, with excited kids running out into roads and distracted or speeding drivers making fatal mistakes.  If a child’s costume is mostly or all black, they will be all but invisible on the street. Bright, reflective clothing is much safer.

The Lubbock Police Department recently shared great tips on keeping kids safe this Halloween; you can read more here.

Lubbock Restaurants That Closed in 2026 (So Far)

From fast food to mom-and-pops, and from upscale to a breakfast burrito favorite, here is a look at Lubbock restaurants that have closed so far this year.

Gallery Credit: Renee Raven