An Emirati former serviceman who drove his 4x4 into the back of a cement lorry while chatting on his mobile phone says he hopes his experience will teach others the importance of avoiding distractions at the wheel.
Doctors gave Juma Almheiri, 37, a one-in-10 chance of survival after his Nissan Patrol rear-ended the lorry on Emirates Road in 2024.
His injuries were extensive. The impact was so great some of his teeth broke and lodged in his lungs.
After a month in a coma and 45 days recovering in Rashid Hospital in Dubai, Mr Almheiri returned home to his wife, Maha, and children, Hamda, who is 9, and Abdulla, aged 7.
With a shattered jaw and all but three of his teeth gone, his recovery has involved extensive reconstruction and implants.
Mr Almheiri, who can speak normally with his young family again, hopes his story will be a warning to others about distracted driving.
“I was shopping for my children, and when returning to the house I had the accident,” he told The National. “From that moment, that second, I don't remember anything.
“When I awoke in hospital I had so many fractures in my face, my chest, and my leg. I think I was using my phone and driving. Now, I know that lesson. And I don't want somebody else to go through this. I won’t touch my phone again.
“When I was in front of my kids, with bones broken, no smile, no teeth, unable to eat or do anything, I realised from that day my life had changed.”
Brush with death
Although Mr Almheiri said he remembers little of the accident, police investigators at the scene told him the collision was consistent with distraction while driving.
No one else was injured, although the lorry driver continued on for several hundred metres before stopping, unaware Mr Almheiri’s car was underneath.
“When I was in hospital, I did not want my children to see me, so when I went home it was a very big thing for me,” Mr Almheiri said.
“My daughter, she was very sad. I cannot sleep at night because I'm dreaming like when I was in a coma. It has made me want to change my life, to be good and happy. I cannot thank the doctors enough for what they have done.”
Mr Almheiri needed life-saving operations to quell bleeding on his brain. He was told he would require several surgeries to fix his face.
His wife spoke to specialists at Medcare Hospital, who said 3D imagery would allow his face to be rebuilt in one four-hour procedure.
The treatment involved bone grafts from his mouth and sinus to rebuild his jaw.
In total, 14 dental implants were put in place, along with prosthetics and temporary fixtures to allow Mr Almheiri to recover function as his appearance was restored.
The healing period was about five months. The surgical team was led by Farzin Sarkarat, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Medcare Hospital in Jumeirah.
“Normally, with this kind of case we need to do four-to-five surgeries to reach the standard protocol and result,” Prof Sarkarat said.
“Thanks to the new technology, we did a kind of reverse engineering from the first day to manage the case just with one.
“We did both the bone grafts, dental implant placement, and reconstruction of the whole, jaw, mouth and face in one session. We have had a very good result, both functionally and mentally.
“What is important for me as a surgeon is not just rebuild the face, but when you see the patient back with a lot of confidence and back to life, it makes you very satisfied.”
New smile
Leading the dental reconstruction process was Saman Fallahi, a prosthodontist who devised a comprehensive, digital plan for full-mouth rehabilitation.
“The oral cavity performs many physiological activities, so for that reason, if there is a big problem like this, all of these activities are influenced by this disability,” Dr Fallahi said.
“The main problem was his lack of confidence – he didn't want to go out and became very reclusive. Since the surgery, that has all changed.”
Mr Almheiri's experience is a reminder of how dangerous distracted driving can be. Road safety campaigners say it is a scourge of modern motoring.
Police across the UAE regularly release videos of collisions, to impress upon viewers the possible cost of not concentrating at the wheel.
While distraction officially accounts for about 4 per cent of road collisions, data from campaign group Road Safety UAE suggests other factors such as sudden lane changing, careless entry into other roads or jumping a traffic signal could be a symptom of distraction.
Ms Almheiri said she has seen a distinct change in her husband’s behaviour and his attitude to life, including giving up smoking.
“I was always worried about him because he didn't care about the roads, he drove very fast and loved speed,” she said.
“When he had the car accident, I told him, 'You have had your wake-up call.'
“Now, I always tell him this is his second chance. It has cost him a lot, but he must think about our babies at home because they need him.”
