Luckily the Idaho stop / yield laws are being adopted by more states now (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop#Legality_by_US_state). I've also experienced motor vehicles yield to my bicycle even when they arrive earlier at an intersection if they're not in a rush, which is nice.
After getting in one too many contact incidents with cars I ended up getting one of those bicycle helmets with turn signals and found that drivers yield more often to me with turn signal lights that when I used hand signals. As if it's subconscious for them to pay attention to flashing turn signal lights but not hand signals.
It's harder at night when they're most active. My coworker's Jeep was totaled on a local highway doing 45mph by a deer running across in a somewhat urban area.