A method for warning a driver of a vehicle regarding a potentially critical traffic situation, having the steps of: detecting a potentially critical traffic situation for the vehicle, determining a hazard measure of the potentially critical traffic situation for the vehicle, and outputting a warning to the driver of the vehicle if the hazard measure of the potentially critical traffic situation reaches or exceeds a warning threshold. The warning threshold is adjusted as a function of the information of a self-learning map. A corresponding apparatus as well as the use thereof in a vehicle is also disclosed.