IDENTIFICATION OF ROADSIDE HIGHWAY SAFETY HARDWARE DEVICES.

SEC. 1429. IDENTIFICATION OF ROADSIDE HIGHWAY SAFETY HARDWARE DEVICES. (a) Study.—The Secretary shall conduct a study on methods for identifying roadside highway safety hardware devices to improve the data collected on the devices, as necessary for in-service evaluation of the devices. (b) Contents.—In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall evaluate identification methods based on the ability of the method— (1) to convey information on the devices, including manufacturing date, factory of origin, product brand, and model; (2) to withstand roadside conditions; and (3) to connect to State and regional inventories of similar devices. (c) Identification Methods.—The identification methods to be studied under this section include stamped serial numbers, radio-frequency identification, and such other methods as the Secretary determines appropriate. (d) Report to Congress.—Not later than January 1, 2018, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the study under subsection (a).