The County Court in Melbourne heard the former Buninyong man, 24-year-old Joshua Wesley Kevin Franklin, drove on to the wrong side of the road "creating a nightmare situation for oncoming drivers" on the night of November 11, 2006.

Before the crash he had been observed by a local caravan park manager as being "in no condition to drive" and later recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.194.

Franklin was also unlicensed when he got behind the wheel about 11pm that night having lost his licence for drink driving 11 months earlier.

The court heard Franklin had driven north along Stawell St in his Holden ute before turning into Victoria St where he ignored a keep left sign and drove into the path of oncoming traffic.

One car swerved and managed to avoid Franklin before he collided with a small sedan containing four women.

tfutopiaThe four women suffered a "raft of injuries" and the crash caused one woman to miscarry her first child and receive serious internal injuries.

Judge Les Ross yesterday told Franklin his driving had been "outrageous".

"You were unlicensed, had no reason to be on the road," he said.

"It appeared alcohol remained a problem for you right up until the time of the collision."

Judge Ross said the court had heard that Franklin had been upset about the approaching anniversary of his younger sister's death from a brain tumour and was also dealing with the tragic death of an aunt.

But he said those issues had little influence on Franklin's moral culpability.

However, Judge Ross acknowledged Franklin's good character references and efforts at rehabilitation.

Franklin had abstained from alcohol since the crash and been undertaking counselling, the court heard.

Franklin had pleaded guilty to four counts of negligently causing serious injury, drink driving, unlicensed driving and failing to wear a seatbelt.

Judge Ross yesterday sentenced Franklin to three years' jail, with a minimum non-parole period of 20 months.

Franklin was also disqualified from driving for 26 months. He has served eight days in pre-sentence detention.