Look out for deals
When you go it alone, you don't have anyone to share the costs with -- which include gas and perhaps rental costs. In Australia I took advantage of a relocation rental deal. You don't find these as much in North America but they're popular in Australia and New Zealand where travellers often arrive in major international ports like Sydney or Auckland, and then drive in one direction in a rental vehicle (often camper vans) and travel on from there so the vehicles end up in another city, like Brisbane, Cairns or Melbourne, and need to get back to where demand is highest. So companies often offer great deals to appeal to the smaller number of travellers going in the opposite direction. 

I rented my camper van for $1/day and they reimbursed my fuel costs at the end of it. The catch is that they give you a limited delivery time frame, but you can often add days on at a reduced daily cost, and if this just means you want to spend a few days in a spot, your fuel charges will still be covered (they'll only cover what they estimate it will take you to make the trip without significant detours). 

Give yourself plenty of time
You'll be the only one who can take the wheel, so if you start to get tired, you have to take a break to rest, and not just shift to the shotgun position while your co-pilot takes over. Take this into consideration when you plan your route. Google Maps is usually pretty good at estimating the amount of time it takes to get from A to B, but it doesn't take into consideration breaks or traffic delays, so be generous with your time and don't expect to do 12-hour hauls on your own. You'll want to take a break every few hours, even if you're not tired, to keep yourself refreshed, and as soon as you start to get tired, heed your body's signals to hit the hay.

Keep in mind that while long stretches of straight highway allow you to cover a lot of ground in not a lot of time, they also do a doozy on your eyeballs and will tire you out from boredom before too long.

Stay with others
If you're spending long stretches of time alone in your car, enjoy the freedom that offers, but avoid getting on your own nerves and spend your nights with other human beings. Hostels are a good way to get a cheap night's sleep (even if you're in a camper van, a real bed, a real shower and a full kitchen are definitely nice perks) and they offer up a social setting that allows you to chat with things other than your radio and your inner demons. Campgrounds can also offer up a similar experience, but you'll have to work harder to strike up conversations 'round the outhouses. 

Who knows, you might meet a prospective co-pilot this way, or you might just remind yourself why you decided to set out alone in the first place. Win win.

Don't overdo it
If you're not an experienced road tripper, don't overdo it on your first foray into solo long-distance driving. Luckily, North America offers up some of the best road trip terrain in the world, so your best bet is to start at home. I've done the Vancouver to Toronto road trip twice in the past eight months and there's still plenty left for me to see on that route. Both coasts offer up amazing road trip opportunities and an extended drive around the maritimes is also a must-have on your road tripping to-do list. 

Beyond our home continent, Australia and New Zealand make for easy road tripping because if you get lost, you'll easily find help in English, but you'll get the bonus challenge of driving on the left. If you do decide to set out alone here, make sure you brush up on the rules of the road before you set out. Once you're comfortable driving long distances and getting yourself out of sticky situations, aim for more challenging terrain, throw in foreign languages and test out some of the more bizarre road rules elsewhere on the planet.

Be prepared
If you do decide to set out alone on the road in other countries, make sure you brush up on the rules of the road before you set out, even if everything else there reminds you of home. Those of you who have driven in New Zealand before may be pleased to know that one of their most confusing 'give way' rules is on its way out -- rejoice! But keep that in mind as a reminder that rules are different everywhere, and they can change over the years so always take a glimpse at the rule book. 

You won't have a co-pilot to read signs or maps for you so take some extra time before you set out every morning to figure out your route -- that includes exit numbers if necessary and a general idea of landmarks en route. If you get confused, pull off, take a break and get yourself oriented again, rather than trying to juggle maps while you're driving. If you've got a GPS, bring it with you (make sure you download the appropriate maps for the area you'll be covering), and have patience with the little voice that complains about 'recalculating' because it will, and you will want to break it.

Perhaps most importantly, cue up your playlist before you get out on the road and make sure you've got 'Here I Go Again' on there somewhere, or you run the risk of missing out on the crucial part of solo road trip magic -- the best singing of your life.

Heather Cleland is a freelance travel and music writer living in Toronto. In 2009, she blew her life savings to travel through 29 countries on four continents by herself, because it felt like the right thing to do. As it turned out, it was. Read her stories about adventure and off-the-beaten-path travel on Sympatico.ca Travel and follow her on Twitter @heathercleland.