Caitlin Taylor, Road Safety Manager at RoSPA, recently had the opportunity to attend the Axkid Child & Safety Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, alongside Rebecca Morris, Elizabeth Box, James Luckhurst and Sarah O'Toole.

The conference brought together researchers, clinicians, manufacturers and safety professionals with a shared goal: improving outcomes for children through better design, better research and a deeper understanding of human needs.

Road traffic collisions remain the leading cause of death globally for people aged 5–29. Yet Sweden continues to demonstrate what is possible when safety is approached as a long-term societal commitment. In 2024, the country recorded 213 road deaths, a reduction of around 70% compared with 2000.

The innovations on display were impressive. Axkid shared developments in impact-sensing technology capable of identifying whether a child seat has been involved in a collision, improving both safety and sustainability. Its virtual safety laboratory demonstrated how advanced human body models are being used to better predict injury outcomes, helping move beyond traditional testing methods and design for a wider range of real-world users. Delegates also heard about innovations aimed at improving the transfer of critically ill children, helping to enhance both the quality and equality of pre-hospital care.

However, while the technology was fascinating, Caitlin's biggest takeaway was not about technology at all - it was about people.

Throughout the conference, a common thread ran through every presentation. Whether discussing product development, research, emergency care or education, the starting point was understanding the needs of the people the system was designed to serve.

The focus was not simply on meeting standards or achieving compliance. Instead, it centred on asking better questions: How do people actually behave? Where do mistakes happen? What pressures do they face? How can systems be designed to support them when things don't go to plan?

While procedures, policies and compliance metrics remain essential, the conference reinforced that the strongest safety cultures are built by understanding the reality of people's experiences and designing around human needs, rather than expecting people to adapt perfectly to systems.

One phrase that stayed with Caitlin throughout the conference was the Swedish approach to safety: keep it simple, understand the real-life customer and design from a genuine human perspective. Simple principles, but powerful ones, that continued to resonate long after the event.

Gothenburg itself also left a lasting impression. The city felt clean, safe and remarkably calm. Reliable public transport, considerate people and a strong sense of trust in public systems prompted reflection on how wider environments may influence safety outcomes. While no short visit can capture the full picture, it highlighted how systems built on trust, respect and consideration may shape behaviour in meaningful ways.

The visit also reinforced the close relationship between health, safety and wellbeing. Rather than existing as separate disciplines, they appeared deeply interconnected. Safer people are often healthier people, healthier people are better able to make good decisions, and people who feel supported and valued are more likely to engage positively with the systems around them. In that sense, safety is not simply about preventing harm, but about creating environments where people can thrive.

Whether designing child safety systems, workplaces, public services or communities, the principle remains the same:

• Understand people's needs
• Design around their reality
• Make the right choice the easy choice.

Sweden's impressive safety record is undoubtedly supported by world-class research, engineering and innovation. However, what stood out most was the mindset behind it all: a belief that good outcomes start with understanding people.

It is a lesson Caitlin will be bringing back into her own work, and a reminder that the best health, safety and wellbeing strategies are rarely about rules alone. They are about creating environments where people can succeed safely, stay healthy and flourish.