Google Chrome is part of a subset of Google software applications including OS so I'd say it's safest in some sense, built around the ability to 'sandbox' online means only the browser might be prone to attack, but emails are much more dangerous I believe, where unsuspectingly you can allow malware to infiltrate your computer unwittingly
Never do that without serious thought about what it could be you're downloading, I worry about downloads from browser links too, but as long as you keep one or more AVS.
I do keep at times two browsers per system, if not including Internet Exporer.
Remember that Microsoft's own innocious browser and OS had to change with the perilious times with public pressure as well as it's wide consumer base being business use and non-techies. This meant that threats in the Cyber world we see perhaps now increasing more in 2015.... had to be addressed.
When I bought my PC in 2001, or thereabouts, I was averse to Anti Virus fees so I opted out, I didn't think there was any free AV available at that time. Defender for Microsoft became a needed free addendum and of course MS's OS Firewall.
Not to spend too long on virus and malware, it's part of what I think makes the ultimate selection for browser choice, use, and where it's used... say home network of course, more safe, Wifi Hotspot, much less so.
The other key features I like most are zoom capability, tabs, link database to recall instantly and being able to customize browser window views.
At times I still use Opera which offers versions for mobile devices, and one might think with it's not so obvious option to surf the same web, it falls much less under the malware gun by targetting of cyber hackers-criminals. They'll most likely try for the most used browsers and computer systems. Or if we could figure out what they're doing, we could say for sure they're targetting obvious loopholes that are known, whichever system or browser that is.
I'd often wondered if you're safer now to go online with Windows 98 or ME then the latest computer because of the transition away from older tech. Did you know the US Military rely on HUGE old school floppy disks to store sensitive data on? I saw this on a TV special report.... They do this in the defence network so the data is on a medium that's obsolete but still works! hahaha
Oh, and besides Chrome, Firefox and IE, ...and Opera (closing some of it's features I hear, due to cost or the lack of users perhaps, sad but true.... you also have Apple's Safari. If we all used Apple online or offline computer wise, the cyber hackers would target them, it's just a sad fact that people tend to think of as Apple Macs must be much safer then Windows PCs, but it's just a matter of popularity