Crown prosecutor Clayton Walker said the death of Skipper's daughter had brought "devastation" to her family, who were not present in court as the process was described as too upsetting for them.
He also explained that the circumstances of the crash were that there was no explantation, other than methamphetamine, for Skipper to suddenly lose control of the car.
Methamphetamine can cause danger while driving when acting as a stimulant and when the stimulant effects are in the process of wearing off, Mr Walker added.
Judge Tony Adeane said he accepted that the death of Skipper's daugher was devastating to her but said the devastation reached further into the community.
"The loss of a child also affects the whole community...to the community the life of every child is a precious asset," he said.
The judge said Skipper had also demonstrated a sense of "entitlement" throughout the judicial process and accepted her unlicensed driving as an aggravating factor.
Skipper was also disqualified from driving for three years and the Judge ruled issues of home detention did not arise.
Skipper initially denied causing her daughter's death, pleading not guilty to the primary charge of causing death and guilty to driving while forbidden before Judge Geoff Rea in the Hastings District Court in August 2016.
However potential jurors were sent home early when Skipper appeared for trial in the Napier District Court in March this year after Hawkins elected to have a judge-alone trial.
During a brief trial, which lasted 15 minutes, Hawkins applied for the charge of causing death while under the influence of methamphetamine to be amended to a lesser charge.
This application was declined by Judge Tony Adeane who told the court that the current charge had been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Skipper was a forbidden driver when she lost control of a car she was driving on the Hawke's Bay Expressway at about 5pm on January 13, 2016.
Her daughter Saphire Te Aroha Skipper-Hira, who was unrestrained in a child car seat in the left rear of the car, was flung from the car after it veered across the centre line into oncoming traffic and collided with the dirt bank of a ditch.
Witnesses described the vehicle suddenly "ricocheting" across the road with no explantation as to why this occured.
Saphire received significant injuries and died at the scene.
Skipper's 11-year-old sister was also in the car sitting in the front passenger seat and received minor injuries.
Blood analysis results confirmed Skipper's blood contained the class A controlled drug, methamphetamine. However the concentration was unspecified in the summary of facts.
While Skipper did not own the vehicle she had driven it several times and it had a current warrant of fitness at the time.
The crash occurred on State Highway 50A between Omahu Rd and Flaxmere Ave just before 5pm. The weather conditions were fine and traffic was moderate.
The primary charge of causing death while under the influence of drugs carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment, while driving while forbidden carries a maximum penalty of a $10,000 fine.