A dark highway, a stranded car, a stranger waving for help. That scene has become part of the fear around Interstate 40, especially as social media keeps reviving stories about unsolved murders, missing people, and warnings to “never stop for anyone.” I-40 is one of the longest and most heavily traveled highways in the United States. It runs from California to North Carolina, cutting across desert, mountains, rural towns, truck stops, and major cities. Because so many people