Summarize this article in one sentence.
Keep in mind, if you do decide to hitchhike, that there are drivers that will do some bad things to you. They could abandon you or even hurt you. However, on the flip-side, there are also really nice people out there who would gladly take you with them. It's all about reading the driver and making a decision.  Try to hitch rides with a nice lady, a family with several children, or a car with passengers. They will probably want to ask you where you are going, or what you are doing, so have a nice little lie handy. Do not tell them that you ran away from home, and say as little to them as possible. If a sketchy or scary looking person offers to give you a ride, ask them where they're going first. When they answer, tell them you're going to a different place, preferably far away. If they say that they can take you there, politely refuse and cut off communication after that. Wait for them to drive off. If you are in a big city with many people, know that there are likely people who could pose a threat to you. Bring something with which you can defend yourself, such as pepper spray, cleaning chemicals or perfume because perfume contains chemicals which can cause blindness.  Being aware of dangers and avoiding them is usually better than having to confront them, however. Walk away from people who pose a threat to you. Stand upright and tall, and keep your composure, but don't argue or aggravate them. Try to get to a public, well-lit area where there are a lot of people. There's usually strength in numbers. Don't let anyone do anything to you that you are uncomfortable with and if you get desperate enough that you feel you need to resort to this, seek help. Local charities and churches will help you without asking too many questions.  Prostitution is a common outcome of running away. Actually, a study showed that one in four of runaways, both boys and girls, were victims of trafficking or used sex to get things like food and shelter.  Because of the high chance of prostitution and also because of the poor sanitation conditions, runaways are significantly more likely to get HIV/AIDS. Be very careful. Homeless youth are significantly more likely to fall into drug and/or alcohol use. This can lead to diseases like HIV/AIDS or even death from overdose. This is just aside from the other side effects of drug and/or alcohol use. Be careful and do not use drugs, no matter how bad you feel. Homeless people are much more likely to be arrested, usually for being a nuisance, loitering, or trespassing. You want to avoid having to spend a lot of time in jail, so be careful where you go and how you look and act. Many people are homeless because they just hit some hard times and these people can be perfectly wonderful. But there are also a lot of homeless people that are very desperate, or mentally unstable. Especially in the US, where mental health care is notoriously inadequate, many mentally ill people end up on the streets. These people can be dangerous and may attack you for no reason. Try to avoid being around other homeless people to keep yourself safe.

Summary:
Avoid hitchhiking. Protect yourself. Don't get pulled into prostitution. Avoid drugs and alcohol. Try to avoid getting arrested. Be careful around the other homeless people.