New Mother's M40 Panic Attack After RAC Labels Stranded Baby 'Non-Priority'
A new mother experienced a severe panic attack on the hard shoulder of the M40 motorway after her breakdown provider, the RAC, allegedly informed her that her stranded three-month-old baby was considered 'non-priority', resulting in an estimated six-hour wait for assistance.
Breakdown on Valentine's Day Journey
Jessica Townsend Jones, a 27-year-old pub manager currently on maternity leave, was travelling from Mid Wales to her home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with her infant daughter Ottilie on 14 February 2026. During the journey, her car suddenly lost power, feeling as though 'the brakes had been put on', and she struggled to accelerate. After missing the turn for services at the Cherwell Valley Interchange, she was forced to pull onto the hard shoulder.
RAC's Response and Escalating Distress
Ms Townsend Jones immediately contacted the RAC, her breakdown cover provider, who initially assured her she would be treated as a priority. However, she later received a link from the recovery service indicating an estimated wait time of six hours. When she called back to express her concerns about being stranded with her baby, she was reportedly told she was not a priority because she was not in a live lane of traffic.
This response triggered a panic attack. Ms Townsend Jones described the situation: 'I was just panicking – my daughter’s nose had gone bright red, her cheeks, she was so cold, it was awful. I was in absolute hysterics, it was horrible.' She added, 'I said to the RAC ‘I don’t understand how you don’t deem us as a priority. I understand I’m not in a live lane but my baby can’t regulate her temperature, I can’t feed her – six hours isn’t good enough’. I just felt hopeless and terrified. I was so scared.'
Rescue by National Highways
While Ms Townsend Jones was stranded, her husband, who was at home, contacted National Highways. Their patrol staff promptly arrived and remained with her at the roadside. After two-and-a-half hours in the freezing cold, she and baby Ottilie were towed to the services by a third-party recovery service arranged by National Highways.
Aftermath and Apologies
Ms Townsend Jones believes she should have been prioritised given that she was travelling alone with an infant, stating that the incident has 'bumped her confidence'. She is now seeking to switch breakdown providers, saying, 'I don’t feel safe being covered by the RAC.'
An RAC spokesperson responded: 'We've apologised to Mrs Townsend-Jones for not getting to her sooner and not communicating more clearly. We're covering all her costs along with an additional token of goodwill to say sorry for what was a very stressful situation.'
A National Highways spokesperson said: 'We want everyone using our roads to get home safe and well and every breakdown is an unwanted inconvenience. Our advice is to plan ahead, check your vehicle before heading off, and make sure you have provisions on board just in case your journey doesn’t go to plan.' They added that their teamwork ensured a 'happy ending' in this instance.
