The sentence handed to the driver who caused the Oxford Eastern Bypass crash has been criticised by road safety groups.

Former nurse Angela Dublin was jailed for two years by Oxford Crown Court on Monday after she admitted her dangerous driving had caused the death of three teenage boys and another driver.

The 45-year-old from London Road in Headington, Oxford, is likely to serve 12 months in prison.

Mr Justice Crane rejected the maximum 14-year jail term for the offences, and reduced the sentence due to Dublin's guilty plea and her physical and mental problems caused by the crash.

Mary Williams, chief executive of road safety campaigners Brake, said: "This is yet another example of the pitifully low sentences being imposed by judges for killer drivers. This sentence does not provide justice for the four people killed."

Seven children were crammed into a five-seater Citroen Xsara when it crashed, killing three of the boys, while four of the occupants survived suffering long-lasting injuries. Only one of the boys, Jake Proper, was wearing a seatbelt.

Roger Vincent, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "It's shocking to think parents don't always insist on children being properly restrained. Wearing seatbelts in this case could have saved lives and led to less serious injuries. We hope this shocking loss of life will remind other parents who may be tempted to do the same to know how terriblly it can turn out."

A spokesman for Roadpeace added: "The sentence she received for dangerous driving was less than half the average sentence. The law appears quite weak in terms of trying to allow families to feel the driver is being adequately punished."

Paul Watters, of the AA, said: "This tragedy sends a clear message to parents tempted to carry large numbers of children: you are responsible for their safety and will suffer all the emotional, psychological and legal consequences of a fatal accident."

Parents of Liam Hastings, Marshall Haynes and Josh Bartlett the boys killed in the crash last May declined to comment on the sentence. Victim Howard Hillsdon's mother Julie said it made her feel 'numb'.

Oxfordshire County Council has now installed a £700,000 crash barrier on the stretch of bypass where the accident happened and the speed limit has been reduced to 50mph.

Richard Dix, assistant head of transport, said: "It's not possible to say with any exactness what the outcome would have been if there had been a barrier in place, particularly given the number of passengers in the car, but barriers are designed to contain and guide errant vehicles along them so the severity of any impact with other vehicles would probably have been less severe."