He worked at Asda, in Perth, and was a college student, studying a sports course in Cupar.

Daniel lived with his parents at a house at Burnbrae, near Methven. Family and friends gathered there today.

A man answering the door said, “The family are too upset to speak just now.” He made no further comment.

The smash happened at 9.15pm yesterday, about a mile west of the Almondbank junction.

The vehicles involved were a maroon Land Rover Discovery, travelling east, and a silver Vauxhall Corsa, headed west.

Daniel (19), the Corsa driver, died at the scene. The two people in the Land Rover were taken to Ninewells Hospital, in Dundee, with minor injuries.

A friend said Daniel played as a striker for Gannochy football club, in Perth, and was top scorer last season.

After attending North Muirton Primary and Perth Grammar he went on to study sports coaching at Elmwood College, gaining an HNC in sports coaching with development of sports. His ambition had been to become a PE teacher and it is thought he was going to university in Stirling after the summer.

Pal, Leah McWilliam, who knew him from school, said, “He was the nicest guy you’d ever meet. He was fun-loving and always stopped to speak to you.”

Another friend said, “He was a brilliant guy and a good laugh and would speak to anybody. Everybody knew him from the Grammar and seeing him in town and he was a big personality.”

Friends said Daniel had been due to go on holiday in Magaluf with friends next week and had been particularly looking forward to the forthcoming World Cup.

Another tearful friend added, “It shouldn’t have happened to him — he was just so young.”

Daniel was described by colleagues at Asda as “an absolutely lovely lad”. Shocked staff said they had been left “numb” by the tragedy.

David Young, people services manager at the Dunkeld Road store, where Daniel worked in the produce department, said, “Daniel was a brilliant colleague. He will be missed by everybody here.

“He was was friends with everyone. Everybody was just numb when they heard of this tragedy.”

After the accident, the road was closed for several hours and diversions put in place while an investigation took place.

A Tayside Police spokesperson said, “Inquiries are continuing and police are appealing for any witnesses that may have seen the vehicles prior to the collision.”

Tayside Fire and Rescue were called to the scene to help with the accident investigation and units had to be sent from Dundee as the Perth appliances were dealing with a house fire in Poplar Place.

The A85 has a history of fatal accidents. In January, 2007, it saw one of Perthshire’s worst ever, when five people died in a head-on smash, near Methven.

Figures released at the end of last year showed the A85 claimed 19 lives between 2002 and 2006, while 444 people were injured over the same period.

Transport Scotland acknowledged the road, which runs from Perth to Oban, has a death rate far above the norm.

The last fatal accident on the Perth to Crieff stretch was in November, 2008, when a pensioner’s car careered off the road near Methven.