Scale of 1 to 4: Travel advisories might shape your next foreign adventure out of Charlotte
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — It’s officially Spring Break for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and surrounding districts and that means many families are taking the chance to travel.
If you’re already looking ahead to summer vacations and that travel takes you to another country, there’s an extra step you might want to consider as you pack your bags.
Rachael Weiss, a Weddington mom of two, is taking to the slopes this year for Spring Break but is very familiar with family trips overseas. Whenever they take those trips, she always checks the U.S Department of State website for travel advisories.
“When we were pregnant with our second, it was around the same the time of the Zika virus and we were supposed to go to Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic and it was high on the list and we completely recalibrated our whole trip,” she said.
Those advisories cover more than just viruses and include several different areas to inform American’s about their safety and security in another country.
Those levels are rated on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 being “exercise normal precautions,” and level 4 being “do not travel.”
Charlotte attorney Marcel McCrea explained that officials take several things into account when designating those levels.
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“Those include petty theft, violent crimes, natural disasters, weather, health outbreaks, civil unrest and risk of kidnapping,” he said.
McCrae is also a seasoned traveler himself; having visited 43 different countries. He said while the rankings can see alarming, they actually a very helpful tool.
“I would recommend that folks get as much education as they can about a particular destination prior to visiting,” he said.
While more obvious Level 4 countries include Afghanistan, Haiti, and Russia, a popular tropical destination that’s only a 3-hour non-stop flight from Charlotte is also high on the list. Jamaica currently is listed as a Level 3, which means “reconsider travel.”
“What’s scary is if they say it’s a Level 3, because people are breaking into resorts and stealing your things or drugging you at your restaurants,” Weiss said. “That is scary.”
According to the Department of State website, those are some of the things officials are seeing on the island, listing violent crimes as “common,” adding that sexual assaults happen frequently even at resorts.
“I think sometimes it’s also about just knowing your surroundings and paying attention. People who don’t travel often, this is probably going to be pretty alarming to them,” Weiss explained.
Even U.S government workers are prohibited from going to certain parts of Jamaica.
The department does list some suggestions if travelers choose to go to “high risk areas,” including designating a power of attorney before you go, along with leaving a will, and even a DNA sample with your doctor.
McCrae said these are just legal steps to make sure things are taken care of while you’re away.
“A power of attorney will allow you to name an agent who can conduct affairs for you and on your behalf, while you may be stuck in a destination,” he said. “If an extreme scenario happens and you happen to die while you’re there, then obviously a will allows you to have all your affairs and things
While most people don’t plan family trips to Level 3 and Level 4 areas, Weiss said at the end of the day, travel is supposed to be fun and memorable, so travelers need to make the best choices for them.
“If it’s something that pops up and it’s bad, make the decision that works for your family. I think the decisions I make for my husband and I might and maybe just for me myself, might be a little bit different than what we would do for our with our kids,” she said, “I would just take a breath, do a little bit of homework, and be prepared.”
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