ADVANCE, N.C. -- Three high school students have died after their car swerved across a North Carolina highway and hit an SUV.

Highway Patrol Sgt. Michael Baker told local media outlets the wreck happened late Saturday morning at the 900 block of Baltimore Road.

Baker said the driver of the car, 16-year-old Gavin Ivey of Linwood, and his two passengers, 16-year-old Todd Goetaski of Lexington and 16-year-old Justice McGee of Linwood died at the scene. Troopers said speed is believed to be a factor in the collision. 

The driver of the SUV was taken to a hospital in Winston-Salem for treatment.

The teens were all sophomores at West Davidson High School. The school said guidance counselors and social workers were at the school Monday. They released the following statement: 

"Davidson​ ​County​ ​Schools​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Education​ ​have​ ​received​ ​information​ ​about​ ​a​ ​car​ ​accident involving​ ​three​ ​students​ ​from​ ​West​ ​Davidson​ ​High​ ​School.​ Today​ ​we​ ​are​ ​deeply​ ​saddened​ ​about​ ​the passing​ ​away​ ​of​ ​Gavin​ ​Ivey​ ​-​ ​10th​ ​grade​,​ ​Justin​ ​McGee​ ​-​ ​10th​ ​grade​ ​and​ ​Todd​ ​Goetaski​ ​-​ ​10th​ ​grade. The​ ​teachers​ ​and​ ​students​ ​were​ ​very​ ​much​ ​saddened​ ​by​ ​the​ ​news.​ ​Our​ ​focus​ ​is​ ​on​ ​supporting​ ​the​ ​family, students​ ​and​ ​staff​ ​members​ ​of​ ​West​ ​Davidson​ ​High​ ​School.​ ​Guidance​ ​counselors,​ ​social​ ​workers​ ​and support​ ​staff​ ​are​ ​on​ ​campus​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​counseling​ ​and​ ​support​ ​for​ ​the​ ​staff​ ​and​ ​students. On​ ​behalf​ ​of​ ​Davidson​ ​County​ ​Schools​ ​and​ ​The​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Education​ ​our​ ​condolences​ ​go​ ​to​ ​the​ ​families and​ ​we​ ​are​ ​asking​ ​our​ ​school​ ​community​ ​for​ ​their​ ​thoughts​ ​and​ ​prayers​ ​for​ ​the​ ​families​ ​involved​ ​in​ ​this tragic​ ​accident​ ​and​ ​for​ ​all​ ​of​ ​the​ ​students​ ​and​ ​staff​ ​at​ ​West​ ​Davidson​ ​High​ ​School."