A method and a device for warning the driver of a motor vehicle about a traffic situation involving an increased collision risk are provided. For this purpose, signals of at least one object detector representing motion quantities of detected objects and signals of at least one motion sensor system of the host vehicle are suppliable to an analyzer device. The computing device precalculates all possible motion trajectories for all detected objects and for the host vehicle, taking into account maximum acceleration or deceleration values and maximum change in acceleration or deceleration values over time and, when an imminent collision is recognized, issues a warning to the driver that higher acceleration or deceleration values and/or change in acceleration or deceleration values are needed to avoid a collision.