A Chinese tourist whose driving caused "mayhem" on a busy New Zealand road has been ordered to pay $20,000 and forbidden from leaving the country until it's paid.

Peng Liu, 33, was found guilty in Rotorua District Court today on three charges of causing injury by careless driving, relating to an accident on December 30 on State Highway 5 in Taupo.

His passport was confiscated and Judge James Weir ordered him to remain in New Zealand until he paid $20,000 in reparation.

The crash left three German tourists - Petra Lankisch, Mark Lankisch and Jakob Lankisch - with serious injuries, Judge Weir said.

"Those German tourists were lucky to escape with their lives," he said.

"A clear message needs to be sent out to foreign drivers who come into this country and cause this sort of mayhem.

"[There's] no reason at all an accident should happen on that road if someone was paying due care and attention. You were not."

The German family of six were treated at Waikato Hospital with a 15-year-old boy and his 44-year-old mother remaining on a ward.

Liu's defence lawyer, Rachelle Cavanagh, said Liu had offered to pay a $6000 emotional harm payment and that the accident was "his worst nightmare".

Judge Weir disqualified Liu from driving for 18 months, although he acknowledged the driving ban might be meaningless in China, and dismissed the $6000 figure, ordering Liu's passport be confiscated until $20,000 in reparation was paid.

"You are not to leave New Zealand until that is paid," he said.

Speaking through an interpreter outside of the court, Liu described how the accident happened as he and his wife drove from Rotorua to Taupo.

"My wife on the passenger seat realised I was too close to the kerb so I adjusted the steering wheel but over, so I cross over to the wrong side and crash into the German family's car there," he said.

Asked if he had a message for the Lankisch family, Liu said he was "really, really sorry".

He also had some advice for other foreign drivers in New Zealand.

"You have to familiarise yourself with the road code, thought this is not the cause of my case, he said.

"The second thing is rest good before you get in the driving seat and the seatbelt is very important. In my case it saved my life."

Liu said he would pay the $20,000 reparation shortly.

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