Driver "inattention" was the likely cause of a car crash on Tasmania's north-west coast that left three teenage children in the car orphaned, a coroner has found.
Victorian couple Nathaniel Calma David and Cheryl Ann Isip David, both 46, were on holiday in Tasmania with their three teenage children.
On the day of the crash, the family was travelling on the Bass Highway from Launceston to Champagne Falls near Moina on Tasmania's north-west coast.
Mr David was driving while Mrs David was in the front passenger seat and the three children were in the back.
Around six minutes before her death, Mrs David took to social media to post several holiday photos of the family.
She described Cataract Gorge as, "a rare natural phenomenon in any city" and said, "one cannot come to Launceston without visiting this gorge".
In his findings, coroner Simon Cooper said footage of the accident was captured on a police body camera worn by Constable Glenn Dawson.
"Constable Dawson's police vehicle was stationary, well off the roadway, underneath the Porters Bridge Road overpass."
"He had just pulled over another driver and Constable Dawson was out of his vehicle," Mr Cooper said.
"His body-worn camera footage shows the David family Ford on the incorrect side of the Bass Highway."
Several members of the public also witnessed the vehicle travelling in the wrong lane.
"At least two of the David children later told investigators that they also realised the vehicle was in the wrong lane," Mr Cooper said.
Unfortunately, it was too late, and the Davids' car collided with another vehicle in the eastbound lane of the highway, around 40 metres west of the overpass.
Mr Cooper said the driver of the other car, Demi Jones took "evasive action" but was unable to avoid colliding with the other vehicle.
Mr and Mrs David died instantly, just weeks away from celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary.
Their three children were taken to the Launceston General Hospital, suffering many injuries including fractures to the spine, leg, and ribs.
The other driver, Ms Jones suffered minor injuries and her four-week-old daughter, who was properly restrained in the rear of the vehicle, was not injured.
The front seat passenger in Ms Jones' car suffered a fractured spine as well as other injuries and was taken to hospital.
External factors not to blame
The coroner said drugs, alcohol, speed, weather and road conditions did not cause or contribute to the crash.
"It is impossible to determine why Mr David drove the vehicle into the wrong lane of the Bass Highway," he said.
"I do not think it likely that Mr David was distracted by Constable Dawson's police vehicle.
"I say this because a witness saw the Ford in the wrong lane of the highway before it reached the Porters Bridge Road overpass."
Mr Cooper gave his condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr and Mrs David.
He made no recommendations.
