Catherine Graham, 14, died alongside her friend Christina Maguire, 15, in the accident at Toomebridge in County Antrim.

The fatalities bring to 18 the number of people killed on Northern Ireland's roads for the first 27 days of 2003.

Catherine Graham: 14-year-old died in crash

The girls died when the van they were travelling in struck a gatepost and then collided with a tree on the Carlane Road near Toomebridge on Sunday.

Two teenage boys, who were also in the van are described as being in a stable condition in hospital.

A third teenage girl suffered minor injuries.

Catherine Graham's father, Patrick, said he was going through so many different emotions and it would take time to get to grips with what had happened.

"It's a tragic loss to me and the rest of the family - she just lived life to the full. It hasn't sunk in yet," he said.

SDLP councillor Seamus Laverty, who knows the families of both victims, said the whole area was in deep shock.

"It is, needless to say, a tragedy and there's not much else to say really."

Christina Maguire: 15-year-old killed

Police Inspector Gordon Scott said the road death figures were twice that for the same period last year.

"My sincerest condolences to the families concerned because this is another episode of tragedy on our roads," he said.

"This culture of death is unbelievable and this year alone we have 18 people killed on our roads, 11 of whom are under 18 years of age and it's tragic," he said.

The police have appealed for witnesses to the crash to contact them.

Meanwhile, the funeral took place on Monday of one of four people killed on the roads at the weekend.

Peter Heavron, 18, died in an accident on the Aughrim Road in Magherafelt on Saturday.