A Victorian truck driver who killed a grandmother after running a red light after being distracted by a phone call has been jailed for nearly three years.
Nada Stoyanovski was driving with her young granddaughter near Geelong when an 18-tonne truck driven by Ellyas Bouras crashed into her Toyota Corolla on January 10.
The 64-year-old grandmother died at the scene while her toddler grand-daughter escaped with minor injuries.
County Court Judge Michael Tinney said Mrs Stoyanovski's death was unnecessary and completely avoidable.
"She shouldn't have died," Judge Tinney said in his sentencing Bouras on Thursday.
"Her life was priceless and she can't be replaced. There will be no comfort for (her family) in the sentence I impose."
Bouras, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, was not speeding or fatigued at the time of the crash, nor did he have drugs or alcohol in his system.
He claims he was distracted by a phone call when he ran the red light at the intersection of two ring roads.
"For whatever reason, you simply weren't concentrating," Judge Tinney said.
"You were not paying anything like the sufficient attention needed for your task."
Bouras had no prior criminal convictions, no blemishes on his traffic record and he had clearly shown deep remorse, Judge Tinney said.
But the 39-year-old's prior good character, remorse and excellent prospects of rehabilitation did not detract from the gravity of the offence, the judge said.
"No one is suggesting you're revelling in this.
"No one is saying you're a bad man. Plainly, you're not.
"I do not doubt that you will regret Mrs Stoyanovski's death for the rest of your life."
It was far too common for people with no criminal history to end up in court for serious driving offences, Judge Tinney said.
The court needed to send a message to the community that dangerous driving must be punished, he said.
Bouras was sentenced to two years and 10 months in jail. He will be eligible for parole in just under 18 months.
His licence was cancelled and he was disqualified from driving for two years.
