When a young man, driving to California by himself, naively picks up a hitchhiker, he gets more than he bargained for: the hitcher is a serial killer who mercilessly slashes anyone he meets, ranging from truckstop waitresses to happy families in station wagons. Because of a lucky fluke, the driver manages to escape the charismatic murderer. Enraged that one of his intended victims has gone free, the hitcher cleverly frames the young man for the killings. Now the driver realizes he is the only one who can stop the hitchhiker -- and his freedom depends on his success.