Traditionally, a dream about an accident was seen as a warning to be careful of a danger in waking life, or as a prediction that an accident is about to happen.
People do often dream about accidents that then come true. However, if your accident dream is followed by a similar accident in real life, it is probably because your unconscious mind noticed things that could have caused the accident. For example, in waking life, you might be at a busy intersection and unconsciously notice that it could be very dangerous, although your conscious mind is preoccupied with other things. That night you dream about an accident at the intersection. The following day, an accident occurs in waking life, because the intersection really was dangerous.
After you dream about an accident, see if you can think of something that could cause such an accident in your waking life. If there is, can you do anything to prevent an accident from taking place? For example, in the case of the dangerous intersection, why not contact your city council and ask if they can install better traffic signals? If you dreamed that you were in a car accident, maybe it’s time you brought your car in for an inspection.
Many psychologists believe that dreams about accidents reflect fears about safety or concerns about taking responsibility for something.
Jung believed that accident dreams could express waking life fears, or could be reactions to traumatic experiences. For example, dreaming of a car crash could mean that you are afraid of being in one, or that you have had a car accident before. It is known that people who experience severe traumas can relive these events over and over in their dreams.