Partnerships are the lifeblood of any community. When different individuals or agencies come together for a common cause, more people benefit and the impact in further reaching.

Such is the case of the partnership between Clark County Community Services, New Beginnings and Winchester Fire-EMS to provide car seats for families in Winchester.

Come this fall, 75 car seats will be provided to families that participate in an education component of the project.

Those who are interested must attend a two-hour class taught by a certified technician before they can qualify for a car seat. Once they have passed the class, they will go to Winchester Fire-EMS, who will properly install the new car seats

This is the second year for the partnership, which is aimed at increasing safety and preventing injuries for children in the community.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. is motor vehicle injuries, most of which can be prevented with the use of car seats.

One study by the CDC found in a single year more than 618,000 children ages 0-12 at some point rode in a vehicle without any safety restrains at all.

In 2016, children 12 and under who died in a crash where restraint use was known, 35 percent were not buckled up.

Car seat safety is crucial in protecting our children and saving lives.

This partnership will ensure at least 75 children will have a better chance at survival if they should be involved in an accident.

We hope that isn’t the case, but prevention better than the alternative.

This type of partnership shows how much can be accomplished when groups team up for the betterment of the community.