I had a dream the other night where I died, but the thing is I didnt wake up like typically happens in dreams. I just new I was dead. After I died I came back again. It was a violent death. I kept getting killed and coming back over and over again. I guess it must be my subconcious trying to overcome my fear of dying. I felt like I was doomed to repeat steps that led to my death. There was this underlying fear of confinement happening at the same time. There was a bit of guilt thrown in also. I can't recall all of the dream; just the feeling of suffering a death and being chased. I didnt wake up scared though. It was very strange being dead but concious at the same time. It was like I entered some strange state of conciousness in my sleep.
I have experienced that but it felt different. I have 'died' three times in one night and I was being chased (just like you). The first time I was smashed, everything went green and I woke up. I was very scared and could not go to sleep for a while but after I did the same man was chasing me. He hit me with his car... then I cannot tell how I landed on the front seat of his car, next to him. And he started sticking needles in my chest to kill me again. I'm afraid of death, too. I guess that must be the reason.
Dying in a dream symbolizes the necessity of change. You have to get rid of something, of some part of your older self in order to escape confinement and stuffiness. The feeling of confinement is understandable since this process is often symbolized by a snake shedding the skin. You’re confined by it until you shed it.
