Bradley Mark Zwiersen, 21, will spend up to four years in jail after pleading guilty to the crash.

Sergeant Paul Evans said those left injured, emergency service workers and people in the community were still suffering from the vehicle rollover, which occurred at at least 141km/h.

Zwiersen, 21, was high on ecstasy, had a blood alcohol reading of between 0.15 and 0.199 and was speeding when he crashed at Myrtleford on October 31, 2014.

Two men suffered life threatening injuries and one has ongoing brain injuries.

Zwiersen was stumbling drunk inside a pub when he decided to drive his friends to a Lake Buffalo party.

Despite having priors for drink driving and careless driving, Zwiersen and five others got into a dual cab utility and headed south on Buffalo River Road.

One passenger was not wearing a seatbelt and received a serious brain injury involving haemorrhages, neck and spine fractures and broken ribs.

Another passenger broke a bone supporting his eyeball, lost part of his ear, broke six to eight ribs and injured a major blood vessel, which can cause rapid death.

Several vertebrae were also fractured and the man required spinal surgery. Both were flown to hospital and there were fears they would die.

Zwiersen had lost control and the ute left the road, hit a grass verge and rolled multiple times before coming to rest against a post and fence. 

He had over-corrected after losing control and an examination found there were no mechanical problems with the vehicle, which belonged to the father of one of the passengers.

The mother of one injured men told of the devastation caused by the crash including “depression, social anxiety and frustration”.

Judge Frank Gucciardo noted Zwiersen had been physically confronted after the crash and abused on social media.

He sent a message to drivers when sentencing him in the Melbourne County Court on July 21.

“The consequence of imprisonment have a dual purpose - to punish the offender and to deter drivers, particularly young drivers, from driving irresponsibly,” the judge said.

“Although the car is an integral part of all of our lives, a car driven negligently is capable of producing catastrophic consequences for victims.

“You were indeed fortunate you did not kill one or more of your friends, and or yourself.”

Sergeant Evans said such incidents were “100 per cent avoidable”.

“The message we’re trying to send is that there is no reset button - it’s not a game,” he said.

“People get into cars with someone they shouldn’t knowing they’re putting themselves at risk and putting other people on the road at risk.

“It’s ended with one person in jail with a conviction that will be there forever.

“His mates are lucky to be alive.

“They pulled through but they are left with lasting effects from the incident.

“So are the paramedics, the first responders and the extended family members of these young blokes.

“People have got to be responsible for themselves and their mates. 

“If they're not able to drive, don't let them drive.”

Mr Gucciardo noted Zwiersen clearly had an alcohol problem and had been badly glassed at a pub in June 2013, which caused ongoing problems.

He must serve two-and-a-half years before he is eligible for parole.