An Otumoetai College student has provided the perfect example of why not to break school rules after illegally driving his friend's car and crashing into a power transformer.

The two 17-year-olds left the school during the morning tea break on Wednesday, against school rules, to take the passenger's new car for a ride in the surrounding suburb.

The burnt out Holden Commodore after a pair of Otumoetai College students crashed into a transformer on Princess Road. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

At around 11.20am, the teen driving the early model Holden Commodore, lost control on Princess Road, Bellevue crashing into a power transformer. It is understood power was cut to a number of homes in the area as a result.

The pair managed to get out of the vehicle before flames engulfed both the transformer and vehicle.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion confirms the teenager was breaching his restricted licence driving conditions by taking passengers.

He says initial investigations conclude the cause of the crash is speed and inexperience.

'I think they were both extremely lucky to escape with minor injuries,” says Ian, after the driver received treatment for facial injuries.

Charges are yet to be laid as police continue their investigation into the crash.

Otumoetai College principal Dave Randell says he is 'extremely disappointed” that his students blatantly broke school rules, but is glad they were not killed – serving a prime example of what not to do.

'They know quite categorically that you do not go out of the school at interval,” says Dave.

'There is no excuses and the sad thing about it is they had what could have been a very tragic accident.”

School rules state Year 13 students can only leave the school grounds at lunchtime on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays , having to sign-out in any other case.

Dave says he is meeting with the families of both students next week to discuss 'future pathways” at the college while the level of disciplinary action is also been considered.

'It's been quite a shock to these two young guys and had quite a heavy impact on a lot of students in the school here,” he explains. 'I hope something good comes out of it.”

Powerco could not be reached for comment on the crash and the seriousness of the power outage.