Tokyo, Oct 27 (IANS): Two men died in a vehicle collision apparently caused by a deer in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, local police said on Thursday.

The police said they received an emergency call on Wednesday saying that a head-on collision had occurred between a minivan and a truck in Shibecha town, reports Xinhua news agency.

Three people were rushed to a hospital, emergency responders said, with the driver of the minivan and its passenger being pronounced dead, while the driver of the truck was unconscious and deemed to be in a serious condition.

According to local accounts, a dead deer was found at the crash site, with the police suspecting one of the vehicles veered into the opposite lane after hitting or trying to swerve to avoid the deer and collided with the oncoming vehicle.

More than 4,000 deer-related accidents were reported on Hokkaido roads last year, marking a record high for the fifth consecutive year, the police said.

Around 40 per cent of the accidents took place in October and November, the police said, as winter and mating season see the deer become more active.