A method determines a driving state from a plurality of driving states sorted in accordance with the degree of danger thereof. In the method, at least one test criterion for at least one driving parameter is allocated to each of the driving states. At least one of the driving parameters is detected and, based on the driving parameter, a test is made to determine if one of the driving states from the plurality of driving states is present. This testing is in a time sequence starting with the most dangerous of the driving states by evaluating the test criterion corresponding thereto.