The laws of physics always favor a larger car in a collision. That’s why it’s critical to choose a small car that gets top crash-test ratings and offers an extensive assortment of safety features.

The good news is that traffic fatalities are at historic lows, thanks in large part to increasingly sophisticated auto designs, advanced safety features and stricter seatbelt and DUI laws. The bad news is auto crashes still accounted for 32,788 deaths in 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which means a vehicle-related fatality occurs an average of once every 16 minutes. Motor vehicle collisions remain the leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of three and 34.

Check out the original article by  below for the top ten safest small cars like the 2012 Mazda 3 pictured above.