In this thesis a review of past research and test experiments with tunnel fires, of major accidents which have happened during the past 60 years, European projects directed towards improving the level of fire safety in road tunnels, comparison of internationally recognized and some major national standards and recommendations on tunnel fire safety have been presented. Dangerous accidents and various risk event scenarios in road tunnels have been analysed, with the particular attention being devoted to the interaction between these events and traditional response methods. Main subject of research have been fire accidents. It has been proven that with traditional approach only, without the application of a stationary system capable of fire extinguishment/suppression/control, it is generally hardly possible to prevent the development of fire towards a catastrophic scenario if favourable conditions leading to such a development prevail at the accident site. The other conclusion which is deemed to have be proven is the fact that fire services in charge of fire protection of the majority of tunnels mainly do not have adequate quantities of water and foam concentrate available at the accident site, which would enable them to successfully tackle a major fire upon their arrival. Outlines of a fixed foam firefighting system in a tunnel as well as the outline of a new standard testing procedure for comparing the characteristics of various types of FFFS have been presented. This proposal could be used as a basis for the development of standard procedure for testing of the applicability and efficiency of various stationary systems for fire extinguishment/suppression/control. Such a standard procedure is expected to become a valuable tool capable of providing experimental evaluation and comparison of the capabilities of waterspray, foam and watermist systems at the representative fire scenarios. It has been proposed that further research work, mainly experimental, should be initiated and encouraged on the European level, which would open the way to development of the optimal safety and financially acceptable solutions for preventing and/or resolving the majority of potentially catastrophic accident events.