Lubbock is a vibrant city with a mix of small-town vibes and a college-town energy. While the city is safe by most standards, there are a few Lubbock safety tips that can help new residents to better navigate their experience.
I’ll outline for you my experiences and tips for staying safe in the Hub City, based on decades of living in Lubbock and continually being around new residents of the city.
Basics of Safety in Lubbock
Overall, Lubbock is an incredibly safe place to live. As with any other city, there are certain high-crime areas of the city that should be avoided and many low-crime neighborhoods.
There are also areas that are situationally dangerous based on issues such as traffic, alcohol consumption, isolation, etc.
For the most part, new residents will find there is very little reason to be in the higher crime or more dangerous areas of the city. Many of these are located around industrial zones or are located away from the main parts of the city.
For Texas Tech students, there are some areas around campus that border higher crime locations. However, these are easily avoided and, as noted already, there is typically little reason to go past these boundaries as there is nothing but neighborhoods in these areas.
One thing to note, there have been various reports throughout the years that paint Lubbock as being one of the most dangerous cities in America. However, these articles should not be taken lightly, as they are wildly inaccurate. You can read more about why here and here.
5 Tips for Personal Safety in Lubbock
All of these are common sense. As I mentioned above, Lubbock is really no different than any other city, and staying safe here comes down to using your head.
With that said, each of these tips will be centered around Lubbock specifically and help you to understand how to employ these common sense safety tips in the city.
Stay in groups when going out at night
Lubbock is a college town which means there is inevitably a fair amount of drinking and partying going on. With four colleges and universities in the city, there is no shortage of students ready to go out for a good time.
Common sense says you need to be aware of your surroundings when drinking and going out in groups, whether guys or girls. A good amount of crime in the city is related to drinking, including both property crimes and violent crimes.
Make sure you avoid unlit areas if you are alone and intoxicated, and, as always, make use of Uber, cabs, or friends to avoid drunk driving.
The main drinking areas of Lubbock are Broadway across from Texas Tech University and the Depot District downtown. Both areas have a solid police presence to ensure partygoers stay safe. However, it is not uncommon for fights to break out due to young and intoxicated people or for car break-ins or assaults on unaware individuals who are intoxicated.
With that said, as long as you stay aware of your surroundings and avoid becoming too intoxicated, you will most likely enjoy Lubbock’s nightlife without issue or fear for your personal safety.
Avoid high-crime neighborhoods
Like any other city, the 80/20 rule dictates that almost 80% of crime will occur in 20% of neighborhoods. For various reasons, these high crime areas tend to be located around North, East, and Central Lubbock with a few isolated streets and neighborhoods throughout the city also having high crime.
Virtually all of these neighborhoods are avoidable if you are not living in them and are not visiting someone specifically in that area. Generally speaking, there are no businesses or attractions in Lubbock’s high-crime neighborhoods that would lead you to visit them.
It should be noted that Texas Tech University and many of the off-campus locations where students tend to live border higher crime areas. However, the parts of these neighborhoods where students typically rent are safe, and so long as you don’t walk alone at night in the rougher parts, you shouldn’t have any problems.
As with any other city in the world, be aware of your surroundings, especially if you are alone. Lubbock is no more dangerous than anywhere else. However, like anywhere else, random crimes do happen even in safe areas. Be smart and pay attention, and you will be fine.
Defensive driving is a must in Lubbock
One thing people will tell you in Lubbock, and which I tend to agree with, is that Lubbock drivers are some of the worst. The city is growing and becoming more crowded and, with this growth, there comes a large amount of construction around the city to widen roads and facilitate growth.
There are also a wide variety of drivers from people who live in more rural areas to international students that may not have experience driving to people who have moved here from larger cities and tend to drive faster.
All of this means you are likely to find defensive driving is a must in the city if you want to avoid accidents.
Pay attention when you are driving, and try to avoid distracted driving as much as possible. Traffic isn’t as bad in Lubbock as you would expect in much larger cities. So, stop-and-go traffic and quick stops aren’t as much of a problem.
However, you will find that many drivers here don’t do what you think they will, which can lead to a lot of fender benders and more serious accidents that can easily be avoided.
Don’t leave valuables in your vehicle
This is especially true if you are a college student and live in one of the major areas around Texas Tech and Lubbock Christian University. While vehicle burglaries overall are going down in the city year over year, Lubbock Police note that these areas tend to see the highest numbers of car break-ins.
It’s also important to remember to bring any firearms you may own inside and don’t leave them in your vehicle.
Over the past few years, there has been a spike in organized crime related to vehicle burglaries for the purpose of stealing firearms.
These thefts are often related to gang activity and have been taking place in cities throughout the country. Lubbock, unfortunately, has not been spared with many of these organized activities targeting hotels and neighborhoods in the city.
Take your firearms inside and don’t leave valuables in the car and you shouldn’t have any problems where vehicle burglaries are concerned.
Do your due diligence when selecting a place to live
One final tip is to do your due diligence about the people you rent from when first moving to Lubbock County. It’s unfortunate, but like any other city, there are landlords that don’t have your best interest at the forefront.
Make sure the home or complex you are interested in is being maintained and that the landlords regularly service potential problem areas such as safety detectors.
I’ve been leasing homes to new residents for decades and know that it takes a lot to keep homes in good condition. This is one of the main reasons my team is regularly servicing our properties and on top of maintenance requests.
Safety Precautions During Extreme Weather Conditions
Along with the common sense safety tips above, there are some Lubbock-specific tips regarding weather in the Hub City.
Staying safe during the summer months
Summers in Lubbock are often HOT! This means weeks at a time during late July and early August that can be over 100 degrees during the day time.
As with anywhere else where temperatures are high for extended periods, drink plenty of water and use plenty of sunscreen.
Also, be aware that the dry weather can sometimes lead to heavy dirt storms that envelop the city. While these dirt storms are not inherently dangerous, they can lead to severely reduced visibility and, therefore, dangerous driving conditions temporarily.
Winter weather safety precautions
Winters in Lubbock tend to be mild. However, it’s not uncommon for a mixture of freezing temperatures and moisture to create dangerous driving conditions.
You can expect severe winter weather conditions, usually once or twice each winter season. This can range from single digit temperatures to heavy snow and ice.
The city does have snow plows and salting vehicles to help during severe winter weather. With that said, remember that Lubbock has mostly mild winters and is not like northern or mid-western cities that receive heavy snow and are better prepared for these conditions.
If you are working or attending classes (check during severe winter weather for cancellations), make sure to leave early. Multi-car accidents and road closures are common during these weather events and the roads become incredibly slick. Leave plenty of time for driving so you aren’t in a hurry and end up wrecking your vehicle.
Spring weather safety tips
The spring months in Lubbock typically bring warm and mild weather with the occasional rain storm.
While the spring months are usually the best time to be in the city in terms of weather, be on the lookout for severe thunderstorms.
Typically, hail storms and flash flooding are the main things to worry about during these severe weather events. While not common, larger hare has occurred in the city causing significant damage to homes and vehicles.
Flash flooding is also an issue due to the location of the city. Rainstorms often bring large amounts of water very quickly which traditionally would have been absorbed by the land. However, urbanization has lead fields that would have soaked up the water being paved over.
Because Lubbock is incredibly flat, there are few places for the water to go which leads to intersections and roads flooding over, sometimes enough for cars to stall out in. Go slow when driving and avoid flooded areas. Typically, waters will recede in a few hours after major rainstorms.
Staying Safe By Renting With A Reputable Lubbock Home Rental Agency
In my decades in Lubbock, I’ve found it to be an incredibly safe place full of friendly people ready to help you if needed.
This is one of the main reasons I’m proud to call Lubbock home, and I am always ready to help new residents settle in. If you are looking to move to Lubbock, and haven’t yet settled on a home, contact us here at Lubbock Lease Homes.
We have a five-star reputation on Google for a reason. Your safety and comfort is our priority. Check out our available properties to get started finding the perfect location for you to live in the Hub City.
