In addition to adding potential for injury, crossing tracks simply doesn’t work that well. Lateral action destablizes a body on edge, and it doesn’t provide any extra propulsive gain. It stops the shoulders and hips from working together, and makes good swimmers fishtail out back as they carry the crossing momentum through their bodies.
To correct, make sure your lead arm is avoiding anything besides palm down position. Open the armpit and lean through, but don’t push the hand down while rotating. Keep feeling like you enter too wide and too early, and you’ll know that you’re moving in the right direction.