A method for detecting critical driving situations of motor vehicles, in particular for preventing collisions with an object in front of an own vehicle, has the following steps: detection of a current vehicle acceleration and a current vehicle velocity of an own vehicle; specification of an acceleration profile depending on driving variables of the own vehicle; assumption of a time progression of a foreseeable acceleration of the own vehicle based on its current acceleration; determination of a path profile of the own vehicle from the time progression of the foreseeable acceleration; acquisition of a current distance and a current relative velocity of an object in front of the own vehicle; calculation of the current absolute velocity of the object as well as of the absolute current acceleration of the object; assumption of a time progression of a foreseeable acceleration of the object based on its current acceleration; determination of a path profile of the object from the time progression of the foreseeable acceleration; comparison of the path profile of the own vehicle with the path profile of the object; and if the two path profiles intersect, determination of a probable collision time of the own vehicle with the object; establishment of a time before the probable collision time comparison of this time with the probable collision time determined; and if the probable collision time lies before the established time, issue of a warning to the driver of the own vehicle.