yeah you definitely do not exceed the maximum tire pressure listed on the tire, I would never do that and running tires at the max will wear the center of the tire. Maximum tire pressures of 44 psi are quite common, I've seen that on quite a few vehicles that I've owned. The Michelins on the 09 Escape have a max tire pressure rating of 44 psi.
I think the maximum load that you should add to the vehicle is approximately 1000 lbs on my Escape. With three adults, one child and the weight of our travelling goods we are probably approaching that limit, so I thought it would be a good idea to pump up the tires a bit above the recommended setting. | 
