“It was too late when she put on the brakes and she impacted the rear of the car in front,” Judge Paul Mabey said.

“The carelessness was not being alert to what was happening ahead.”

Jill Nickel was seriously injured and died in hospital four days later.

Judge Mabey noted that Tracey Nickel had lived with her parents for many years, became the carer for her mother after her father’s death, and had bought a single-storey home so her mother could be housed more comfortably. Her mother had dementia and mobility issues.

“I have documents from the brother, sister, sister-in-law and other people. Understandably, all of them support Ms Nickel. There is no grudge … only absolute unconditional love and support.”

Judge Mabey noted that simple actions, such as reaching down to turn on the radio, looking out the window at a passing car or just not noticing the brake lights of cars in front, were all “just momentary lapses which can have terrible consequences”.

“Ms Nickel has lost her mother. She carries the burden of knowing she caused her death.”

Sheat said her client was of good character and had never had any demerits in all her years of driving.

“It must be every driver’s worst nightmare, to cause a death and then worse to cause the death of a close family member.”

Sheat noted that the occupants of the car that Nickel hit had been in touch with her since the incident.

“They have no ill feelings, just sadness that Ms Nickel has lost her mother.”

Judge Mabey sentenced Nickel to 40 hours of community work and disqualified her from driving for six months.

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.