On August 17th, 2011, a Tennessee man experienced a negligent discharge of his pistol while driving down an interstate. Traveling westbound on I-24 about 50 miles northwest of Nashville in Clarksville, Tennessee, traffic slowed ahead, forcing Justin Newberry, 23, to quickly reduce his speed in order to avoid a collision.

His handgun, a Taurus Judge .45 Colt/.410 shotshell revolver, slid out from under his seat. When Newberry reached down to retrieve it, he inadvertently placed his index finger inside the trigger guard causing a negligent discharge. The .410 slug entered and passed through his right thigh, then continued into his left leg just above the ankle. After safely pulling his car into the median, Newberry dialed 911 for emergency assistance.

Newberry was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville via LifeFlight helicopter where he was admitted and listed in stable condition. Police answering the emergency call discovered marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the car, along with multiple identification documents from different locations in the country. Criminal charges are pending.

From msnbc.com:

A 23-year-old man faced possible criminal charges on Wednesday after he accidentally shot himself in both legs when he reached for his gun while driving on a highway in Tennessee, authorities said.

Police who responded to the man's 911 call for help found Justin Newberry "wailing in pain" and in need of immediate emergency attention, said Officer Jim Knoll, spokesman for the Clarksville Police Department.

The gun, a handgun known as "The Judge," apparently slid out from under Newberry's seat when he hit the brakes on his Nissan Altima on Interstate 24, about 50 miles northwest of Nashville.

When he reached to retrieve the weapon, he accidentally grabbed it by the trigger and the gun went off, sending a .410 slug through his right thigh and into his left leg, just above the ankle.

(continued at msnbc.com)

Justin Newberry learned a painful lesson about the importance of properly securing a firearm in a moving vehicle and the third rule of firearms safety: Keep your finger off the trigger and outside of the trigger guard unless you intend to fire and are on target.

Firearms safety is no joke. All gun owners need to respect the danger that firearms present when improperly handled. All things considered, Justin Newberry is a very lucky man — things could have turned out much worse. Please stay safe by always following the rules of firearms safety, no exceptions. Also please be sure to speak up if you witness unsafe firearms handling by others.