I definitely don't think it's your mind playing tricks. There is something similar going on with me but the events leading up to the start of it are a bit different. Yours started after your auto accident and mine started after I lost a very dear friend. In my dream I am transported to a place that is not familiar to me, my friend who passed is there sometimes not all, sometimes I am there by myself and sometimes I am there with family and friends who are still living. The thing is I am always at this same place. When I am awake I have no problems remembering the place. It's always a good dream, we are always talking, having fun. I remember one dream we were having a picnic and it started raining and we sat through it and the rain did not damper anything. I've been having these dreams for about 2 years now. Sometimes I will go a few months without it, but it has been a pretty consistent dream.