A Hunter Valley man has been sentenced to three years jail over a car crash at Floraville, at Lake Macquarie in May last year that killed 18-year-old Brendan Knight.

Judge Hosking in the Sydney District Court today ordered Bryant Simons from Belmont North serve a minimum 12 months gaol, and disqualified the 20-year-old from holding a drivers licence for one year.

Mr Knight died when a car being driven by Simons, who was a learner driver, ran off Floraville Road and hit a tree, late at night.