Hello there Mysha!
Yes, the silly buggers DO use the middle of the road. Right down the centre of the village street. It's a small village, but we do get a lot of farm lorries coming through (deliveries of cattle feed, fertiliser, and at this time of year massive combine harvesters) and the street has several tight corners. A lorry would be upon the birds before the driver realised.
Its so narrow there isn't room even for a pavement, let alone a swan lane, (which is nevertheless a brilliant idea of yours!) so two or three of us ring eachother up to say they're on their way and we station ourselves along the route waving like lunatics at lorry drivers to explain the hazard.
The birds leave the street at the end and go up a quiet lane (phew!) down to the river, but the stony surface hurts the babies' little webbed feet. Many residents just shrug and say what will be will be, but tears come easily to me where wildlife is concerned, and I'd break my heart if these vulnerable creatures got squashed or maimed.
I might get in touch with the official swan authorities. All swans in UK belong to the Queen, so maybe she can come up with a solution!