What’s the point of leaving the town?

I mean, at any point in time, even if they make it back home, they can drive somewhere random and still end up back in town. Like unless they start flying a plane everywhere or a train, they can still go back at any time. I don’t know why everyone was angry at Tabitha. If she told the authorities, how exactly were they supposed to help? That scene pissed me off so much. No one brought up the obvious.