The dead girls, and three others injured in the crash, were travelling home from the Bunbury campus of the 8000-student South West Regional College of TAFE when the collision occurred.

Rebecca’s mother Deborah Favero said she had been waiting at Manjimup Coles with her daughter’s karate uniform, ready for practice, when Bunbury TAFE students told her their bus had been diverted due to a serious crash. “They started panicking,” she said. “Rebecca was everybody’s friend, without a word of a lie, from the poorest person to the smartest person at school. We’re all devastated.”

Rebecca Favero was a nationally-ranked swimmer and equestrian rider with a brown belt in karate, said Mrs Favero, who runs the Pemberton Garage and Service Station with her husband David.

South West Regional College of TAFE director of education and training Tom Morris issued a memo to college staff informing them of the tragedy and offering words of support for the families. “It is tragic when young lives and students in the process of pursuing their career dreams, and with such potential, are tragically cut short,” he said.

A white Subaru station wagon driven north by an 84-year-old Manning man collided head-on with Rebekah Williams’ red Ford Laser being driven south.

Witnesses said the Subaru station wagon had crossed the double white lines narrowly missing a car a little further back.

It crossed the double white line again and this time hit the red car.

Police also said the Subaru may have veered on to the wrong side of the road.

Police spokesman Greg Lambert said three other girls, aged 15, 16 and 17, suffered a range of broken bones, the worst of which was a broken pelvis.

They were taken to Bunbury Regional Hospital for treatment.

The 84-year-old Subaru driver sustained serious leg injuries but is in a stable condition.

His 80-year-old male passenger from Kelmscott suffered minor cuts.

Sergeant Gerard Murphy of South-West Traffic said the stretch of road, which has a 110kmh speed limit, was not known as a black spot.

Officers from the major crash unit were investigating which of the two cars veered onto the wrong side of the road.

The highway was closed for hours while investigators combed the crash scene.

Major Crash Investigation Section officers are continuing with the investigation and urge anyone who witnessed the crash or has information that may assist to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.