An allegedly distracted driver searching for a cup holder will face court after a head-on collision near Myrtleford sent an oncoming van over an embankment and left one man injured.

Leading Senior Constable Brendan Achammer of Myrtleford police said on the early evening of Friday 24 July a Mercedes station wagon travelling towards Wangaratta on the Great Alpine Road veered into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a white van.

Led Sen Const Achammer said the female driver of the station wagon had become distracted in the 60km/h zone when she couldn’t locate the cup holder in the vehicle after drinking a coffee.

“The Mercedes driver had not long owned the vehicle and, being unfamiliar with the layout, she was unable to locate the cup holder and took her eyes off the road,” he said.

“Oncoming traffic was heavy due to vehicles heading to the snow fields.”

The station wagon came to a rest on the roadway while the van went over an embankment adjacent to the road.

Led Sen Const Achammer said the male driver of the van received an injury to his hand while his female passenger and driver of the station wagon were not injured.

Both vehicles suffered extensive damage, with debris scattered on the road and the white van's passenger door hanging off its hinges.

Led Sen Const Achammer said the driver of the station wagon would be summoned to court for careless driving.