Police believe three American students thrown from a vehicle during a crash in Turangi last year could be alive today if they had worn their seatbelts – a statement Bay of Plenty Coroner Wallace Bain is supporting.

Boston University students Austin Perry Brashears, Ross Nicholas Jauberty, both 21, and Daniela Rosanna Lekhno, 20, died while Margaret Theriault, 21, suffered serious injuries after the crash on State Highway 46, near Mt Tongariro on May 11, 2012.

An inquest into the death of three American students shows the students may have survived a fatal crash had they been wearing seatbelts.

Coroner Wallace Bain released his findings into the crash on Friday and says the three students died from severe head injuries.

In his report, Coroner Bain said there was no alcohol or drugs involved in the accident.

'On May 11, 2012, 16 students travelled from Auckland to Taupo in two Toyota vans. They were intending to walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.”

Early in the morning on Saturday, May 12, the students left Taupo driving in a convoy, and Stephen Houseman was the driver of the vehicle that got into difficulties.

'The police reported it was the first time he had driven on New Zealand roads and the first time he had driver a people carrier type vehicle,” Coroner Bain said in his report.

There were a total of seven people in the vehicle.

'It seems from the evidence that Mr Houseman has instructed all occupants at Taupo to put their seatbelts on. Either at Turangi when they stopped or a short time later four of the occupants didn't have their seatbelts engaged.”

At 7.15am the vehicles were travelling along Rangipo Road – a 100km/h tar sealed chop aggregate road described as being in good condition.

The weather was fine and the road was dry.

'The vehicle driven by Mr Houseman crossed the white fog line off the sealed road and onto the edge of the seal to the left, encroaching onto the grass and gravel edge.

'That caused the vehicle to swerve and when it was over-corrected it has then overturned four times. The four passengers who were not wearing seatbelt were thrown from the vehicle. Daniela Lekhno, Austin Brashears and Ross Jauberty died at the scene of the accident.”

Margaret Theriault sustained serious injuries and was taken to Waikato Hospital.

Speed calculations by police estimate the vehicle was travelling between 75 and 102km/h when it began to flip.

'Once again it should not be forgotten that an inquest is a fact finding exercise and not a method of apportioning guilt.The procedure and rules of evidence which are suitable for one are unsuitable for the other.

'In an inquest it should never be forgotten that there are no parties, there is no indictment, there is no prosecution, there is no defence, there is no trial, simply an attempt to establish facts.” Coroner Bain said it is an inquisitorial process, a process of investigation quite unlike a trial where the prosecutor accuses and the accused defends, the Judge holding the balance of the ring, which ever metaphor one chooses to use.