A father's car veered into the wrong lane Tuesday morning on a highway near Cloquet, Minn., and struck another car head-on in a collision that killed both drivers and left the father's two children injured, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 8:25 a.m. on Hwy. 45, south of Interstate 35, according to the State Patrol.

Killed were a 32-year-old man from Carlton, Minn., and a 56-year-old woman from Esko, Minn., the patrol added.

The father's 3-year-old son was seriously hurt and taken to a St. Paul hospital for treatment. The man's 5-year-old daughter was less seriously injured and hospitalized in Duluth, the patrol said.

According to the patrol:

The father was heading south on Hwy. 45 and crossed the centerline of the two-lane road and hit the woman's northbound car head-on. Both were declared dead at the scene.

The woman had on her seat belt; the man did not. Authorities have yet to say whether proper restraints were in use for the two children.

Authorities have yet to identify any of the vehicles' occupants.