a driver assistance system includes , but is not limited to at least one environment sensor , an evaluation unit for identifying a potential hazardous traffic situation , and at least one actuator that can be activated by said evaluation unit for executing a warning intervention or a hazard - mitigating intervention according to the degree of hazard of the traffic situation identified by the evaluation unit . the evaluation unit is set up to distinguish at least three degrees of hazard of a potentially hazardous traffic situation and upon determining a degree of hazard that goes beyond that of the hazard - mitigating intervention , to trigger an emergency intervention of the actuator .