Max & Mia’s Friends on the Road
CHILDREN ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVE
Join Max & Mia on the road to learning about traffic safety!
Taking another step toward fostering safer mobility from an early age, we are happy to introduce our first children’s book, Max & Mia’s Friends on the Road.
More than just a story, this initiative reflects our broader vision—highlighting the importance of people-centered approaches in shaping safer and more inclusive transport systems for the future.
At the heart of this initiative is a simple but important belief: every child deserves to feel safe on their journey to and from school.
As a traffic technology company, we work every day on systems that help make roads safer. Our goal is not only to provide the technology to make roads safer, but to better understand how children perceive traffic, where they feel unsafe, and how we can contribute to improving road safety through education, collaboration, and dialogue with schools and teachers.
We want to listen to you!
the foundation
Teachers and schools understand children’s behaviors, fears, and learning processes better than anyone. By learning from your experiences, we aim to develop a meaningful educational curriculum that genuinely supports safer school journeys for children. Do you want to contribute?
Max & Mia take the lead..
THE STORY
How SWARCO is shaping the future of safe mobility through storytelling
Max & Mia are two first-graders walking home from school on their own for the very first time. What begins as a simple journey quickly unfolds into a rich learning experience. The streets appear larger, the environment more complex, and each moment presents new decisions. Through these experiences, young readers are gently introduced to the realities of navigating public spaces safely and responsibly.
A story rooted in real-world mobility challenges
Our story focuses on translating complex mobility concepts into a format that is both accessible and meaningful for children. The book addresses several key themes that resonate strongly with today’s transport and societal challenges.
Why teach road safety early?
THE BENEFITS
Anja Rautnig, Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist SWARCO ITS
Responsibility over technology
Inclusion and empathy in shared spaces
Build independence through trust
Setting the foundation
OUR PURPOSE
Understanding mobility as a system
Through simple storytelling, the book introduces the idea that traffic is not just a collection of rules, but a dynamic system. It highlights how safety emerges from the interaction between infrastructure, technology, and human behavior. By presenting this systems-thinking approach early, SWARCO helps lay the foundation for a more informed and responsible future generation.
Supporting the next generation of road users
With this initiative, SWARCO demonstrates that shaping the future of mobility starts long before individuals become drivers or policymakers. By engaging children, we help build a culture of safety, awareness, and shared responsibility from the ground up.
A story with purpose
Max & Mia’s Friends on the Road is ultimately a story about curiosity, courage, and learning. It shows that safe mobility is a collective effort—one that depends on how people interact with each other and their environment.
Our expert talking
"Through conversations with educators and the story of Max & Mia, we want to encourage children to think about traffic safety in an engaging, relatable, and age-appropriate way."
Bring the initiative to your school
COLLABORATION
We believe that improving child road safety starts with listening, learning, and working together.
That is why we want to get in touch with schools to better understand how children experience traffic in their everyday lives — how they think, what challenges they face, and how traffic education can be made more meaningful and engaging.
Through conversations with educators and the story of Max & Mia, we aim to support schools with age-appropriate road safety awareness while learning directly from teachers and students.
We would love to hear your perspective and explore how we can collaborate to support safer school journeys for children.
What a school visit may include
A visit to your school is meant to open a dialogue — as part of a shared effort to better understand and improve child road safety.
We tailor the curriculum to your needs. This could include:
- Interactive reading sessions
- Discussions about road safety
- Teacher feedback and exchange
- Child-friendly traffic awareness activities
- Reflective safety vests for children
- Educational materials
Safe to say, this initiative is free of any cost. Our goal is to take away any barriers for better road safety for children worldwide.
If your school is interested in participating or learning more, we would be happy to hear from you.
Do you have ideas about school road safety?
LET'S TALK
We look forward to learning about road safety needs around your school zone. Because as educators, parents and guardians, you simply know best.
Would you like to learn more about Max & Mia first?
starter kit
In the starter kit, you will receive one copy of the children's book: Max & Mia's Friends on the Road, a unique QR-code to access the book online, an educational poster (A3 format) and 10 flyers with all the benefits and possibilities for your school (class). Order the "Max & Mia" starter kit here.
Let's explore the future of mobility together!
