Police are investigating whether the head-on crash that killed two teenage best friends and a married couple was caused by one of the cars trying to overtake a road train.
Lochie Jacobs, 18, and Joey Urban, 19, were passengers in a Toyota Hilux ute driven by a 23-year-old man when it collided with a van on Friday night in central western New South Wales.
Emergency services were rushed to the Newell Highway, about 35 kilometers south of Dubbo, after the head-on collision was reported at around 9.20pm.
The two teenagers died on impact, while the husband and wife traveling in the van, both aged 57, also died at the scene. They are yet to be identified.
Accident investigators are now reportedly working to determine whether the ute or van attempted to overtake a road train on double lines while it was on a blind corner.
Officers arrived to find both vehicles completely destroyed next to the road.
The 23-year-old driver of the ute somehow escaped death and was rushed to hospital with leg injuries.
Since then, tributes have flooded in for Jacobs and Urban, who have been best friends since childhood.
Lochie Jacobs, 18, died in a two-car crash in central western New South Wales on Friday night.
Lochie’s best friend Joey Urban, 19, also died on impact in the horror crash.
Mr Urban’s sister Maddie said he was “the best brother a sister could ask for”.
“I love you so much, you will be missed by many,” he wrote.
“I’ll drink some Tooheys for you.”
Another wrote: ‘Rest easy you beautiful boys. The world is so cruel sometimes! Too young.’
“Two of the best guys, best friends together forever,” said another.
One woman remembered Mr. Urban as “one of the funniest bastards” she had ever met.
Mr. Jacobs was a novice rider in the Midwest.
Investigations into the accident continue.
Emergency services were rushed to the Newell Highway, about 35 kilometers south of Dubbo, after reports of a head-on collision between a ute and a van at around 9.20pm on Friday.