Hitchhiking has never been dangerous. Why would you take the word of homeless people you met on a bus over stats you can easily find online?

http://wandrlymagazine.com/article/roadtrips/hitchhiking/

http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/10/10/where-have-all-the-hi...

http://www.socresonline.org.uk/6/3/chesters.html