HIE: There’s a small logical malfunction in your post. After admitting that YOU don’t know of a bachur who was hit by a car hitchhiking, you accuse me of not knowing what I’m talking about. I concede that you don’t know about these bachurim, however I know about them and I will feel free to talk about them.
Furthermore, the point about hitching wasn’t only about fatalities; it was also about the impropriety of bachurim wandering around town unsupervised, with complete freedom to go anywhere they want and often nobody who will notice if they don’t return. There are also more subtle negative effects of being in an environment where nobody is answerable for your welfare, which was the rest of my point about yeshivas not being responsible for their bachurim. Admittedly, it was not a point tailored to bachurim, many of whom don’t mind eating tuna from a can three times a day, hitching all over town, and crashing shalom zachors and weddings for free booze. But it’s something parents should be inquiring about – or at least be aware of in case they want the option of inquiring about.