Jye Eiffert was only weeks out from his 17^th birthday when the Holden Commodore he was travelling in crashed on McCrae Street in the early hours of September 28.

The driver of the car, 19-year-old Timothy Joel Werps, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing Jye's death and negligent driving causing serious injury to a second passenger, an 18-year-old West Bendigo man.

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Werps sat silently at the back of the County Court as 11 victim impact statements were read.

Jye's father, mother, and sister each spoke of their grief while holding a box containing their loved one's ashes.

Adrian Eiffert said his son was a great, honest kid who had a bright future ahead of him.

"Jye was, and always will be, held in high regard to many in the community, something that the accused will never have," Mr Eiffert said.

"Because of (Werps), I cry every day... knowing I'll never see Jye again. I am completely broken. This has totally shattered me.

"Mates look after mates. They don't kill them."

About 3.11am on September 28 last year, Werps lost control of the Holden Commodore on McCrae Street, crashing into a power pole, a tree, and two fences.

Werps, who held a probationary licence, had been drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis in the hours before the crash.

Jye was seated in the back seat of the Commodore, while the other 18-year-old man was in the front passenger seat.

The 16-year-old died at the scene, despite efforts from witnesses and paramedics.

The 18-year-old had to be extracted from the car. He was taken to a Melbourne hospital with life-threatening injuries including a severe traumatic brain injury, a bruised heart, and a broken pelvis.

Werps escaped with only minor injuries. He originally denied driving the car before telling police the truth.

A breath test showed Werps had a blood alcohol reading of 0.101 at the scene of the crash.

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A blood sample taken at the Bendigo Hospital later that morning showed there was cannabis in his system and a blood alcohol reading of 0.164.

Collision reconstruction experts determined that in the two seconds before the crash, Werps was travelling about 160km/h in a 60km/h zone.

At the time of impact, the car was travelling somewhere between 103km/h and 131km/h.

Jye Eiffert's mother Kaylene Wharton told the County Court she would never forget the police coming to see her on that Monday morning.

"The worst fear for any parent is that knock on the door," she said. "I remember saying that I wanted to see him and they said that I couldn't.

"All I wanted was to be with him. I wanted Jye to be with someone who loved him. All I wanted was to give him a hug."

Ms Wharton said in a week where the family should have been celebrating Jye's birthday, they were instead organising his funeral.

"On his 17th birthday, we were called to collect his ashes from the funeral home," she said.

"The accused has robbed me of every birthday, of every Christmas, of every bit of love and every bit of time.

"Jye deserved so much better. My family is devastated. Our lives will never be as they were."

Jye's sister Zoe said her family was forced to live with the consequences of Werps' "reckless and selfish" actions.

"This was no accident," she told the court. "There is still no sorry, still no remorse.

"I was robbed of the most important person in my life. Every day I lose my brother. Every day my world flips and I'm left to this cold, lonely reality.

"Jye was everyone's mate. Tragically, not everyone was his."

The 18-year-old man who was seriously injured in the crash also submitted a victim impact statement to the court, although it was read out by the prosecutor.

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He wrote that he still carried the physical and emotional scars from the crash, along with the guilt that he survived while Jye did not.

"I have to accept that my life will never be the same again," the 18-year-old wrote. "Jye, I love you. Kaye, I'm sorry for turning a blind eye."

Defence counsel James Anderson said Werps was incredibly remorseful for the offending, which killed one of his mates and seriously injured another.

Mr Anderson said any submissions made to mitigate sentence were not done to shift the blame away from the 19-year-old.

The defence counsel said Werps, who was 18 years old at the time of the crash, was particularly immature and had a poorly developed self-esteem.

Mr Anderson said his client would engage in reckless behaviour and substance abuse to try and impress his peers.

In spite of all of that, the defence counsel said Werps had no prior convictions and had spent the past 12 months following stringent bail conditions.

Mr Anderson said it was conceded that the only appropriate sentence was a significant jail term, but a slightly longer parole period could be appropriate.

Judge John Smallwood said general deterrence was a key factor in this case because too many young people were driving dangerously on Victorian roads.

"It was clear from this that (Werps) couldn't have done much more wrong," the judge said.

Judge Smallwood said Werps would be spending a significant period of time in custody.

The judge extended Werps' bail to his sentencing hearing on Thursday.

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