I really think she was going to be murdered by the guy

The guy character wasn't sweet. He was a stalker and he set up the ride, contrived to take her down the dangerous and abandoned road. Watch his face when he makes the decision to turn down that road? He has lied to her since the start and is taking her to a remote location where he can pretty much do anything with no witnesses.

He has set it up so that very few if anyone will know she got in his car. He didn't even have space for her stuff in the boot/trunk. This alone shows he wasn't thinking of her getting to where she wanted to go.

I think that she was actually saved by the ghost encouter. The guy was most likley going to get more and more angry until he took her into the woods and raped and murdered her. She most likely would never have been found.

I;ve watched this film three times now and every time this idea seems to make much more sense than the last time.