A thriller which tracks the terror-filled trajectory of Grace Andrews and Jim Halsey, a collegiate couple who are tormented by the mysterious hitchhiker John Ryder, a.k.a. The Hitcher. The young couple hit the road in a 1970 Oldsmobile 442, en route to spring break. But their pleasure trip soon turns into a waking nightmare. The initial encounters with Ryder are increasingly off-putting for Grace and Jim, and they bravely fight back when he ambushes them. However, they are truly blindsided when he implicates them in a horrific slaying and continues to shadow them. The open road becomes a battleground of suspense and action, blood and metal as--in trying to elude not only Ryder but also New Mexico State Police Lieutenant Esteridge's officers--Grace and Jim must fight for their lives and face their fears head-on.