A Canadian woman has been sentenced for her role in a serious two-vehicle crash near Taupō on Sunday.

Renee Kelly Vanry, 57, of West Vancouver in Canada, appeared in the Tauranga District Court today, where she was sentenced on four charges of careless driving causing injury – relating to the serious injuries four of her passengers sustained – and another charge of careless driving – relating to the overtaking manoeuvre that caused the crash.

Police were alerted to the two-vehicle collision on State Highway 5 in Rangitaiki, about 10.30am on Sunday 23 March. Ms Vanry was the driver of a van and had been attempting to overtake a slower vehicle near a left-hand bend, with less than 100 metres visibility. The van was still on the opposite side of the road when a Jeep rounded the corner and collided with it.

The force of the impact caused the van to become airborne, landing backwards in a ditch across the road. Neither driver was injured, but four passengers in the van suffered a range of serious injuries and another seven were assessed and discharged that day.

Of the four, one has flown back to Canada, with another due to return home this week, while two remain in hospital in New Zealand. All face many months of recovery.

Ms Vanry has taken responsibility for her actions, which has allowed the judicial process to be expedited. Her misjudgement has had a profound effect on the lives of her passengers, the other driver, and her own.

The crash, although serious, could have been so much worse if it were not for the seatbelts that everyone involved was wearing.

At sentencing, Ms Vanry was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $1000 for emotional harm to each of the four victims, and $1500 for emotional harm to the other driver.

Six other charges were withdrawn.

© Scoop Media