A method of filtering/rejecting targets detected by a forward collision warning system of a motor vehicle when entering a curved road segment. The width of a collision threat zone (CTZ) is reduced in one or more stages depending upon continuously-measured values of steering input angle (SIA), driver brake application (DBA), and a yaw rate. The measured values are used to find: a degree of near-past DBA variation during a first look-back period, a degree of near-past SIA change rate during a second look-back period, and a degree of far-past yaw rate change during a third look-back period longer than the first and the second look-back periods. A series of first, second and third width reductions of decreasing severity are applied to the CTZ based upon comparisons of the tracked variations and change rates with respective thresholds. The thresholds are tunable to achieve desired levels or false-target rejection.